I absolutely loved working with Ali and Greg for their November wedding at The Mission Basilica and Marbella Country Club because not did Ali and go to LMU together but we were also in Alpha Phi together! I absolutely adore this highlight video that NR3 Video Productions put together so I am so exited to share it.... Enjoy!
I cannot believe 2011 is over and 2012 is here!! It was such an amazing year and I was so lucky to work with so many wonderful people. Now that we are on 2012, let's look back some of the trends from 2011!
The "It" Hors D'oeuvres
Can I just say I love love love Carina Lindgren and her Flawless Faces team? They are honestly everything you could ever want in a hair and make up team. In addition to doing "Flawless" wedding hair and make up, Carina has a studio where she can do facials and other treatments since she is a licensed esthetician. Check out their website for a full list of services they offer. Not to mention, Carina and two of her girls have done my hair and make up twice and I honestly have never felt so confident....cheesy I know. But seriously, please check them out!
No matter what your budget is for your wedding, there are always ways to lower how much you spend on your big day. This article from Bridal Guide gives some clear cut ways to save some money for other things like your honeymoon!
1. The Guest List
Keeping your guest list trim is so important. But if you;re worried that you;ll offend people by not inviting them, stop now. Of course you wouldn't ;eave out your nearest and dearest family and friends , so just think of all those people who would probably be flattered to be invited but not bothered if they aren't. Your best bet is to make some rules. That is, first cousins, but not second, Spouses and live-in or serious partners, but not dates. Your boss, but not your whole office. These are some great ways to make sure your wedding stays a good size.
2. The Dessert Table
Unless you're having a dessert reception, don't go overboard on sweets. Wedding cake is so spectacular that offering a dessert buffet, a crepes suzette station and mini ice cream cones is just excessive.
3. The Flowers
The first time you gazed upon your reception site you saw veritable fields of flowers, right? It's no surprise though that piles and piles of blooms can ratchet up your costs quickly. You don't need to fill every corner of your venue with flowers for your wedding to be pretty. Work with your florist to use the freshest, most in-season blooms to their advantage, then fill the rest with budget-friendly candles or greenery. The look will still be beautiful! If you adore flowers, check out botanical gardens in your area and you'll have a bounteous backdrop of blooms at your disposal.
It was so great to finally work at the beautiful Rancho Las Lomas. I was also lucky enough to work with some of my favorite vendors like photographer Scott Nelson and the always amazing caterers, 24 Carrots. Enjoy some of my favorite pictures from the special day below!
The Team: {Coordinator: Simply Sweet Weddings} - {Location: Rancho Las Lomas} - {Photography: Scott Nelson} - {Florist: The Twisted Fig Fine Florals} - {Caterer: 24 Carrots} - {Ceremony Music: Denny White} - {DJ: Peter Gutierrez} - {Bakery: Great Dane Bakery} - {Makeup: Makeup by Berit}
At most weddings there are relatives and friends who travel from around the country and sometimes the world to see their loved ones get married. I think it is so important to make them feel welcome and a little extra special for making the effort to come out and see you get married! Here's some tips from The Bridal Guide on how to give your guests from far away a warm welcome to your wedding.
Start Early
I cannot stress this enough! Procrastination is the worst possibly thing for a wedding. Of course you have to send save-the-date cards. You can be super creative with these and its best to make them a little special because it will make guests excited for your big day! These cards is the best way to let guest know they'll need to plan ahead. It's most considerate to send these out six to eight months before the big day. Keep the information you provide simple. Include your names, the wedding date and place, and a wedding website URL, if you have one, and hotel information.
Your invitations are one of the first things guests will see of your wedding! So you want them to look the best you can. Jen Simpson and her husband Luke of Jen Simpson Design create the most beautiful invites ever! Luke is the printer and maker of the invitations while she designs them and takes care of the customer contracts. Their invitations are so unique and every single one is special.
It's every mom's dream to see their son or daughter marry their soul mate. Generally, mothers play a big role in the wedding planning and they out their heart and soul into the special occasion. Here are some ways to say thank you to the woman who dedicated her life to you.
1. Have her join you and Dad for your walk down the aisle.
2. Present her with a photo album of snapshots of the two of you-with a placeholder for a wedding-day picture.
3. Have a piece of lace from her wedding sewn into your gown.
4. Hit her up for "something borrowed," like a piece of her jewelry.
5. Display her wedding portrait on the escort-card table (place it with photos of other family brides).
6. Ask her to light a candle or to give a reading at the ceremony.
7. Have breakfast with her on the big day. You'll sneak in a few moments of calm before the craziness begins.
8. Treat her to a pre-wedding hair-and-makeup session with you and your girls.
9. Order er a monogrammed handkerchief especially for the wedding (She's going to need it!).
10. Tuck her fave bloom into your bouquet; give it to her when you reach the altar.
11. Have your guy make a toast in her honor.
12. Spend your wedding eve watching rom-coms with her at her house.
13. Mail her a letter telling her how much you appreciate her; time it to arrive while you're on your honeymoon.
14. Having a destination bash? Surprise her with a massage at the spa or with a hotel upgrade to a luxe suite.
15. Start a new tradition; the mother daughter dance.
There is nothing more frustrating than when a guest sends back a RSVP card without their name on it! And believe me this happens. Here is a great idea to ensure you know who is sending and RSVP even when they forget to write their name and all you need is a blacklight ink and pen.
What you do is write your guest's initials or name on the RSVP card in blacklight pen o when a un-named card comes back to you, you just whip out your blacklight pen and identify! And you can give them a hard time for forgetting :)
And these pens are super inexpensive! Go here to buy this handy tool.
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Most often, Bow Ties will come pre-tied from the tux shop. However, if you want to take your look to the next step, we dare you to go for the real thing! Of course, a tutorial on the process of bow-tying may be needed...and looking at these instructions, it looks like you may need a bit of practice! Take a look at the following steps and you'll be well on your way!
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| www.lenoeupapillion.com |
I had such a great time working with Kelly and Matt! My friend Constance, another fellow planner (www.constancecurtis.com) is friends with Matt and referred them to me because I am on the Hilton's preferred list. I was so glad she connected us because both Kelly and Matt along with there bridal party and family were just as nice as can be! Then throw in Sarah and Derek from Frenzel Photographers and KC Campbell from VOC DJs and you've got a party! I hope you enjoy some of the gorgeous pictures Sarah and Derek captured below....I cannot wait to work with them again!
The Team: {Coordinator: Simply Sweet Weddings} - {Location- Waterfront Hilton} - {Photography: Frenzel Photography} - {Florist: Commerce Flowers} - {Videography: Keepsake Videographer} - {Entertainment: VOX DJs} - {Bakery: Rossmoor Pastries} - {Photobooth: Fab Photo} - {Beauty: Bella Blush}
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| simplysavannahevents.blogspot.com |
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| stephiebstyle.blogspot.com |
This is a very unique kind of wedding vendor post and I am so excited to introduce something so special to everyone! Bethany is an incredible artist who creates timeless pieces to commemorate a very special part of your wedding- the dress! She works hard to create unique pieces that are personal to you and your personality and style through a collage of mixed-media on canvas. It is evident through her paintings that she is so passionate about capturing the most special memories. Check out her interview as well as some of her work below!
Also, don't forget to stop by her Facebook page and website!
Cat or Dog? Dogs: Hendrix and Jagger
Twilight or Harry Potter? Twilight
I love this segment we do every so often! My former brides pass on advice now that they have been through it all! A bride very near and dear to me, Jessica, shared some of her advice with me to post and I think it is so awesome. She was working on becoming a yoga instructor during the planning process and she has passed on some fabulous poses and advice....although I don't think it's possible to look as good as she does in the pictures...gosh darn her! Anyways, enjoy!
"In one month and one day I will have been married for one year! With our anniversary fast approaching, I have recently found myself reflecting back not only on the magical day itself but also those hectic last few weeks leading up to our wedding. The work it takes to make your wedding so special and flawless is, as all of you brides-to-be already know, tremendous. I was blessed to have found Holly early on in my planning process, so I had plenty of help along the way. Yet even with all the help in the world, planning a wedding can still at times a very arduous and emotionally draining process – am I right ladies?
4. Bridge- come onto your back. Bend your knees and bring your heels right up to your bottom. Send your hips up high, tuck your shoulders under and grasp your hands under your torso. Gaze is straight up at the ceiling. Release your hands when ready to release the pose. Hold for 15-30 seconds before your slowly lower.
5. Standing Forward Fold. Come up to standing and with a flat back slowly fold forward. When fully folded, arms can rest on the thighs, shins, or floor (but never on the knees). Stay in this stretch for 15-30 seconds and rise ever so slowly.
6. Reclining Bound Angle Pose- Come to your back for our final pose. Bend your knees and let them fall open and bring the soles of your feet to touch. Close your eyes and focus on your breath (not on wedding planning hehe) and enjoy!
Brides almost always choose the closest women in their lives to be their bridesmaids. They’re there for you when you need someone most, they make you laugh, and they know you better than you know yourself. So you want them to look just as beautiful as you when they stand beside you at your wedding…..right? So here are some tips from The Knot to picking the best dresses!
Every couple wants to save money on their wedding. But there are good ways-and bad ways. I’ve seen so many weddings where they think its better to do things on their own and it looks homemade. So if you want to cut some costs, here are some great tips from Brides magazine to how.
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