Friends, I am so inspired by the amazing gowns gracing the runway at this year’s bridal market. Hayley Paige is one of my favorites, and I couldn’t resist gushing over the styles on our blog. Below are some photos from their runway show. That last image? Oh my word- it makes me want to plan my wedding again!
*Images not stating The Knot are from Hayley’s Facebook site
There’s no denying that large floral arrangements make a huge statement– but let’s visit the other side of the spectrum. Simple arrangements can have just as big of an impact. My favorites are clusters of small flowers on banquet tables, and striking single or coupled large blooms in a big vase. Say you love a really expensive flower, this is a great way to incorporate it without breaking the bank. Whether you choose groupings in vintage jars for a more shabby chic look, or a singular orchid for a modern approach, this can be adapted for any style wedding. Here’s some inspiration:
Dried wildflowers in a mason jar tied with twine
Bright pink roses are striking against an all white backdrop
Frosted vessels with silver garnish for a winter wedding. So simple and incredibly romantic!
Succulents in a long platter lined with burlap
Wheat grass centerpiece
Garden Roses in vintage glassware from Emily Henderson's blog
River rocks & orchids make a huge impact
Bright wildflowers in this large jug make a huge impact. Picture this on a guest book or seating card table.
It’s Monday– so let’s talk about menus! After your beautiful ceremony and cocktail hour, your guests are sure to have worked up an appetite. A menu is a great way to entice them with the meal that’s about to come, and people love reading things that are on place settings (weird, but true). Much like the shoes post I did last week, the style and format of your menu will be dictated by he formality and style of your wedding day. Here’s some fun ideas:
Kraft paper menu. You could upgrade the formality by using a nice script font in black/navy.
Belly band menu serves a purpose by keeping your flatware together.
Chalkboard menus are popular for a reason-- they're so cute!
Use clip art for a fun approach to show your guests what they're about to eat
Hang menus on the back of chairs for an added touch of decor.
A friend showed me this mug yesterday and I couldn’t re-posting. How sweet is this coffee mug? One minute you’re enjoying your morning cup of joe with your boyfriend…and next think you know he’s your fiance!
*I tried finding the source to the original image but wasn't able to. If you know where this is from, please let me know so I can give proper credit*
Our last post was about TOMS “day without shoes“, but today let’s talk about a day WITH shoes! Your bridal accessories really take your dress to another level. Understated small gold pendant, or a bib necklace for a huge art deco impact. The accessories that you choose on your wedding day will help bring the look together and it’s important to have a cohesive look. Here’s some different directions you could go
Natural Bride: Wedding Outdoors and Casual
(the 2nd pair of TOMS are vegan)
Classic Bride: Church Wedding
Badgley Mischka "Lacie" via Nordstrom
Forbes by Nina Shoes
Fashionista: The aisle is your runway, lady!
Nine West "Rocha" via Nordstrom
Western: Can’t live without your cowboy boots? Wear them on your wedding day!
Julie Harris Photography
Winter Bride: Hunters
(or any bride ready to brave the elements)
You can take this trend formal or casual, whether you choose metallic or classic green
H. Davis Photography
Bride Wearing Silver Hunters
What do you think? Did any of these styles align with what you’re going to wear as wedding shoes? Let me know if there’s a style that you love, but didn’t see on here!
Real Couple Wearing Toms
Let’s talk shoes today, okay? , Today is TOMS “One Day Without Shoes“, a campaign to raise awareness about the number of children worldwide who don’t have shoes. For every pair that you purchase, TOMS will donate a pair to a child in need.
Toms lace wedding shoes
How does this relate to your wedding? For a more casual affair, you could definitely wear TOMS under your dress! The gold or silver sparkle ones would look fantastic. Your bridesmaids would look great in coordinated styles. And what about their new painted wedges exclusively at Nordstrom? Hello Honeymoon!
Tom's Gold Glitter Bridal Shoes
Painted Wedge from Nordstrom
Today I’m fast at work with a major timeline, budget, and last minute plans for my April 28th wedding in Nashville. We’ve been working together for almost a year now, and I’m over the moon excited to see this event come to life. There’s a lot of moving parts, but it’s shaping up to be an absolutely wonderful weekend for this couple and their families.
Since my brain is multitasking hard this afternoon, here’s a little something I’m excited about…a banana’s foster station! My bride hired Chef’s Market (from Nashville) and they’re absolutely top notch. Along with a Banana’s Foster station, we’re also having a gourmet coffee station. This bride and groom’s guests are in for a real treat!
Banana's Foster via Pinterest
Selecting your guest list can seem like a daunting task, whether your wedding is for 50 or 500 people. In a smaller guest list, it’s difficult to narrow down the people who you’re going to invite, and for a larger wedding the issue can be ensuring you’ve remembered everybody (and keeping track of your responses).
The most important thing regarding your guest list, is to keep your ceremony and reception venues in mind. If you’re inviting 300 guests and your venue only fits 150—there’s a problem! Either the guest list should be paired down, or the venue needs to be changed. And don’t forget budget! I know you’ve heard it before, and now I’m going to tell you again…guest count is the easiest way to reduce cost. By removing guests, the following items will go down (chairs, tables, linens, centerpieces, catering cost, rental items, etc) and in turn lower your financial obligation.
So let’s start with the traditional approach, shall we? The guest list would be broken down into 3 parts: bride’s family, groom’s family, and your mutual friends. If your maximum invite amount is 150, you’ll each get to add 50 people to your list. Sometimes this 33% approach can be tricky if one of you has a much larger family or only one side is local, etc. A more modern approach, as the average age of marrying couples is increasing, is to have a collaboration of your friends, coworkers, and family. No equal parts or formulas, just inviting the people who you want to witness your marriage ceremony.
A great way to start making your guest list is to ask all involved parties to come up with a primary list, anyone and everyone that you want to be there on your wedding day. Assemble all lists together and take a look at the numbers—if it’s too many folks, start pairing down by “groups” as a whole. An example would be to cut out all 2nd cousins, or all coworkers. This way some folks in that group won’t be discussing the wedding invitations and others will be left out. Of course, if you have one close friend in that “group” it’s alright to invite them. But be sure to mention that everyone isn’t on the list, so they’ll be mindful of talking about it too much.
And speaking of large weddings—how are you going to successfully manage hundreds of little RSVP cards? As a note to corralling responses, some planners will add RSVP management to your package (we do). By having your planner in charge of RSVPs, you can also relax knowing that she has the most up to date guest counts at all times. Of course, wrangling in the straggler responses will still be your responsibility.
A cross-country move, followed by the successful launch of our new company…2012 has been a great year for us and we want to pass along the good vibes to YOU! We have a few more dates available for 2012 weddings, so if your date is in Fall or Winter of 2012, you’re in luck! We are offering discounted rates on the remainder of our 2012 weddings. Use the Contact Us page to send an email and receive more information about this great offer.
As a wedding planner, I’m obsessed with all things paper (as if it’s not obvious on my Pinterest). It’s the first indicator your guests will receive for the feel & formality of your wedding day. So it’s no surprise that I flipped over a new magazine called Paperswell. The magazine is a collaboration between the creative minds of Couture Colorado’s Editor in Chief, Laura Dombrowski, and Kelle Anne McCarter of DesignsGirl. The pages are filled with beautiful images of inspiring typography and design specifically related to weddings!
Order a copy for yourself online at http://www.paperswell.com/purchase. Print copies are $15 and digital is $5.
