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About Us

Your Team at Simple Elegance

Simple Elegance Events and Wedding Designs came together in 2006 when the design creativity of Miranda Davis and Julie Schumann was combined with the organizational skills of Margaret Moore and Mary Gonsalves. The passion and commitment is evident within our founding group. Our goal is to give the bride and her family a day they can remember without worrying about the details. We want it to be as stress free as possible. Our commitment to customer service is primary with Simple Elegance Events and Wedding Designs.

Let your wedding be the next “Fairytale Story” we tell.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you have a local shop where brides can view your work and meet the team?

Yes we do. Our shop is located at 1701 south Veteran’s Parkway right next door to Starbucks.

How long have you been doing what you do and how did you get Simple Elegance get started?

Our decorating design staff have been doing weddings for the last twenty years. Our planners have been doing weddings for the last six years. We all worked on a referral basis as first then we began marketing ourselves at bridal shows and online. It was four years ago that we combined forces. We call ourselves the dream team. Our group works so well together. It seems where one needs help another one of us just steps right in. How can I put it.. it just flows.

We love your services and gallery. Everything sounds so great. So, can you tell me how you’re different from all the other planners and decorators out there?

We truly believe that being invited to share in someone’s wedding is more that just an event to do, it is a family’s memory. We consider that a weighty responsibility. We put so much of ourselves into our work and it shows. We don’t want our brides to be disappointed so we will do whatever it takes to make that day exactly what she dreamed of. Our job is to make the day as stress free as possible for the Bride and the families so behind the scenes there may be mayhem but they will never know until it is all over and fixed. Take note of what one of our Brides said about us after her wedding, “Our wedding could not have been what it was without Margaret and her team. They were absolutely fantastic to work with and really made our event so special. Bloomington is my husband’s hometown, so as the bride I knew nothing about vendors in Bloomington. She helped us navigate through vendors, stay on our timeline, and find special touches to make our day a reflection of us. The wedding day proved to be quite challenging, the ceremony and reception were both outside and it rained! Margaret and her team sprung into to action to make sure guests were taken care of, the party still went on and that Ryan and I still had the wedding of our dreams. I really can’t say how wonderful it was to work with Simple Elegance and recommend them to everyone. Thanks so much!” We know how important this is and we want you to walk away with beautiful memories not regrets and stress.

This all sounds so wonderful. BUT, it also seems expensive. Are we going to be able to afford this?

We do not want you to start your life together paying off your wedding. Do not do that! Realistically sit down and calculate your budget. A The job of a planner is to find what fits into that budget. We have spent hours keeping track of prices on every vendor you can imagine. We will save you time and get the most value for your money. Our job is to keep you on track but we have to realistic. There are so many wedding shows and everyone wants the wedding from WETV, that is great but what is you budget? We have payment plans and also take credit cards to make it easier. You can afford things by being realistic with what you have to spend and budgeting.

Who do you work best with?

We love people who are positive, optimistic, and realistic. You hire a planner and decorator for a reason; to take care of things for you. We will do our best to do that. Life is not perfect, weddings are not perfect. We work best with clients that understand that. We want clients that want to be involved but trust us to know we will take care of it. There are so many that come up during the process and the day of the wedding, it comes down to a matter of trust.

Who’s not going to benefit from Simple Elegance Events and Wedding Designs?

It is hard for us to answer this questions but someone who is extremely controlling will not benefit from our services. Brides and families that are not realistic about their budgets will not benefit from our services.

Do you take credit cards or have a payment plan?

We currently take paypal and yes we do have payment plans.

Do you take more than one wedding per day?

Each senior planner will only have one wedding per day. Our decorating staff will only have two weddings per weekend.

This sounds exactly like what we’ve been looking for. So how does this process work?

We will set up your complimentary “get acquainted” session. You will be asked to review the About Us and Services pages to better prepare you for our meeting. This will help you get to know us a little and understand what we have available. Then we can get to know you. We have basic questions that will help us get an idea of how we can make your wedding our next fairytale story.

May we contact some of your former clients to see what it’s like to work with you?

While this would be great we guard our client’s privacy and will not give out any telephone numbers or addresses. We will however allow you to read our letters of recommendation.

We have a few more questions before getting started. Can I call or email you to discuss this further?

Of course you can! Use our contact page or call 309.706.1686. We would love to talk with you!

Let your wedding be the next “Fairytale Story” we tell.

Margaret Moore

Margaret Moore is the Senior Planner for Simple Elegance Event and Wedding Designs, located in Bloomington, Illinois. Margaret graduated from Eastern Illinois University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Education. Margaret began her teaching career as a junior high school science teacher. Her passion for instruction led her to train adults through an adult education program in Michigan. Margaret refined her leadership skills while serving as a 4-H leader for Monroe County, Michigan. Margaret discovered her passion for wedding planning while helping a friend with her floral business in Chicago, Illinois. In 2008, Margaret obtained her certification from the American Academy of Wedding Planners and partnered with Julie Schumann and Miranda Davis to create Simple Elegance. Margaret’s education, leadership, organization, and flexibility make her one of the best wedding coordinators in Central Illinois. On a personal level, Margaret is excited to celebrate her 29th wedding anniversary to husband, Sam. They enjoy watching “24” and Red Wings hockey games with their daughter, Mary and her spouse. In addition to wedding planning, Margaret is passionate about riding horses and has received three National Top Ten awards for her efforts. Margaret is famous for saying, “There is no need to be overstated; certainly never understated; but definitely be stated by having simple elegance!”

Miranda Davis

Miranda Davis is one of two highly experienced consultants for Simple Elegance Design, located in Bloomington, Illinois. She partnered with Julie Schumann in 2007 to begin their business venture. Miranda graduated from Lincoln Community High School in 2003. Her passion for event planning and design led her to take on the challenging task of planning and designing her own wedding in 2003. From 2003-2006, Miranda worked as a consultant for the bridal salon, “Enchantment” in Downtown Bloomington, where she was able to explore her creative side by helping brides find the perfect dress and plan their special day. Miranda’s event planning expertise was further cultivated while working for the Chamber in Commerce in Lincoln, IL. There, she coordinated events including golf outings, business luncheons, and the Lincoln Art and Balloon Festival. Miranda’s creative instincts, combined with a true passion for meeting customer’s needs, makes her one of the top design consultants in Central, Illinois. She strives to create a truly unique experience for each client, while going above and beyond to make sure every detail is impeccable. Miranda is living her dream as a consultant and small-business owner of Simple Elegance Design. She and her husband Dustin, and daughter Lacie, currently reside in Wapella, IL.

Julie Schumann

Julie Schumann is a consultant for Simple Elegance Design, located in Bloomington, IL and has always dreamed of running her own business. She began her professional career in 1977 as an Account Representative for Lincoln Office Environments, where she maintained corporate accounts for major companies including Caterpillar and State Farm. Between 1986 and 1994, she worked as an Administrative Assistant for Agent James D. Copper of Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company. Julie serviced corporate and private pension plans, issued life insurance policies, and created proposals and presentations for clients. During that time, Julie also worked as an Administrative Assistant for R.W. Garrett Agency, a Group Health and Life insurance agency. Between 1994 and 2003, she was employed with First Student, Inc. as a Manager of Accounts. In 2004, Julie joined her daughter, Miranda, as a consultant for the exquisite bridal salon, “Enchantment” in Downtown Bloomington. Julie joined the State Farm Illinois Operations Center in 2006 and continues her work in the Claims Department. Over the years, Julie has accumulated a wealth of expertise in expense management and meeting client needs. As a native of Central Illinois, Julie is familiar with the necessary resources and professional contacts to fulfill even the most challenging design requests. Julie’s unique knack for finding bargains, along with her zeal for pleasing clients by creating a one-of-a-kind experience, has led her to orchestrate decorative schemes for hundreds of anniversaries, weddings, parties, and business events. In 2007, Julie fulfilled her dream of running her own business, when she partnered with Miranda, and established Simple Elegance Design. Despite all her professional experience, Julie contends that her greatest accomplishment was raising her three children: Josh, Jake, and Miranda. Julie currently resides in Bloomington, IL, where she is very involved in the lives of her children and their spouses. Julie loves spending time with her three grandchildren: Josie, Lacie, and Gavin and is thrilled to be expecting two more grandchildren in early 2011.