Take Me Out to The Ball Game

I am a huge Atlanta Braves fan and now that baseball season is here, besides wedding planning, you can find me watching the Braves. One of my first out-of-town trips with my now husband was to Atlanta to go to a Braves game… and in fact, that’s where we went again to celebrate our first anniversary last year! (On a side note, I’m headed to Atlanta this weekend for my matron of honor’s baby shower… and I checked, hoping their was a Braves game and unfortunately, they’re on the road)

Atlanta 2009

Atlanta 2012

Some people love sports so much, they incorporate that in to their weddings. So with baseball season underway, I wanted to share some ways you can incorporate the love of the diamond (the one with 4 bases) into your big day.

Have guests sign a bat instead of a guest book

Baseball Cufflinks

Baseball-themed Wedding Invitation

New York Mets Garter

Candy Trays

Table Numbers

Picking The Right Centerpiece

Whether you are having a wedding, bridal shower,  or any other celebration for that matter, centerpiece is a very important aspect. Centerpieces help tie together the entire décor of the.

Here are some tips on choosing centerpieces:

1. Numbers! If you are using more than one item in the centerpiece go with odd numbers it is eye catching.

2. Layer! Positioning is everything.

3. Height! Creates great visual!

4. Space! Do not over crowd your table with favors, place cards, formal place settings. Make sure you have room for the centerpiece.

5. Venue! Make sure you are aware of ALL the restrictions of your venue.

6. Setting! Take into consideration your environment. Surrounding and temperature is key.

Centerpieces add a special touch to an event. Be sure to think your ideas through in order to have an event that is a vision of excellence.

 

Source: VOEevents

Is A New Year’s Eve Wedding A Good Idea?

We just started 2013, but that doesn’t mean someone out there is looking to plan a New Year’s Eve wedding for this year. But is it a good idea?

A New Year’s Eve wedding can be a blast. It’s hard to imagine anyone not having a good time with all that good cheer going around. Symbolically, what could be better than starting the year off with your new status? On the other hand, it’s not a wholly positive thing. If you’re thinking of having a New Year’s Eve wedding, make sure you consider some of these issues.

Vendors and venues may not be available, and those who are available will probably be more expensive. During most of the year you’re only competing with other brides and grooms for dates, but on New Year’s Eve there are many more opportunities for professionals. They need to charge a premium for their services.

Time of day If you’re getting married on New Year’s Eve your party has to last until after midnight. If you were already planning on having a nighttime wedding, that’s not a big deal. But, if you wanted a more casual, earlier event, you’re out of luck. If you want to start the wedding early enough for older relatives and those with kids to enjoy, then you’re talking about an extra long reception.

Anniversaries You will never in your life be able to celebrate your anniversary with something that’s both special and affordable. On the plus side, you will never forget your anniversary.

Guests This depends on who your friends are. Some may be psyched that you’ve saved them the cost of planning a big New Year’s Eve out. Some may be aggravated that you’ve decided how they should celebrate New Year’s Eve. Some people will already have the time off of work, others may find it impossible to get the time off.

Planning time Depending on your job, you may automatically have the week before your wedding off and not need to take vacation time. At the very least, you’ll have the day after your wedding off. Unless of course, you’re in the service industry, in which case, good luck with that. Keep in mind, too, that if you’re planning a normal sized wedding with the standard fixings it will take longer to plan. That’s because of our first point about vendors and venues. You’ll need to get the date locked in early.

What do you think? Are you a fan of New Year’s Eve weddings? Tell us in the comments.

 

(Reblooged from GroomsAdvice.com)

Bride’s Biggest Budget Buster…

I’m always looking to help my clients save money without sacrificing style. Getting the biggest bang for your buck on wedding day comes by combining the ceremony and the reception. Not only is it easier on your guests (particularly if they are mostly from out of town), but it can save a bride BIG bucks! Most venues are prepared to handle both the ceremony and reception for your big day. Here’s a quick list of how this simple, convenient decision can save you some real money!

*Floral decor can be reused for both the ceremony and reception

*Transportation costs reduced for both you and your groom, as well as your guests

*Shortened time frame for photographers, videographers, and event planners with fewer travel expenses.

*Avoid the rental fee of a church, or other location for the ceremony

*Uplighting and staging can also be reused for both the ceremony and reception

 

(Reblogged From Circle City Designers)

Planning Your Outdoor Wedding

Even though right now isn’t ideal to have a wedding outside since winter has just started, it’s still pretty popular to get married and party outside during the rest of the year.. Here’s some things to keep in mind if you are planning an outdoor wedding…

Planning with Pinterest: Pros & Cons

source

We all, meaning I, have spent hours browsing the endless eye candy that Pinterest has to offer. When I first joined I really didn’t understand what it was, other than I was finding tons of recipes, fashion, fitness and wedding (even though I’d already gotten married) ideas that I wanted or wished I could have to put into action. Pinterest can be a great tool to use to plan many things, and for many brides when they get engaged, they go Pin-crazy. I’ve put together a list of good and bad things about trying to Pinterest plan.

Pros:

-Ideas for pictures: I’ve found countless of picture ideas I never would have thought of if I never got online. I can easily show my photographer some great snapshots I can’t go without on my big day.

(source)

First kiss from behind the preacher

(source)

– Ideas for colors/bridesmaids dresses and flowers: I can easily show a florist and look for bridesmaids dresses that go along with a shot I’ve seen and easily Pinned.

(source)

-Easy organization. When visit a vendor or go to the bridal salon to buy bridesmaids dresses, I can easily whip out my phone and show colors, ideas and my vision. I don’t have to print out endless amounts of pictures and remember to bring them with me when I meet with a vendor. It’s all right there!

Cons:

-Idea and Information Overload: One could possibly spend countless hours looking at ALL of the great ideas for favors, pictures, colors, decorations, extra fun activities, etc. But you can easily get overwhelmed with all of the ideas, trying to do all of these great ideas that sounded good at the time but make you lose track of the purpose of the day- marrying the love of your life. I was talking to a friend of mine whose friend recently got married, and commented that she got so caught up in doing all of the ideas she saw on Pinterest, it became too stressful.  You don’t want to spend your wedding day stressing over whether the photographer is going to still be there at the end to snap that awesome ‘sparkler picture’.

-Will I be able to afford that?: As many start to actually plan their wedding, they quickly realize that:

Things you think you are definitely going to have at your wedding- like a rustic barn venue and vintage cowboy boots for all of your bridesmaids- might not be a financial reality.  Looking at all the pictures then realizing what you can actually afford can leave you feeling inadequate and unfulfilled. Just remember that you don’t need all the bells and whistles- remember the true meaning of the day!

(source)

– Usability of images you find: Again, as you start to plan, you’ll probably realize that some of the stuff you Pinned really isn’t even useful to your actual planning.

 Pinterest can be fun- but try not to get overwhelmed! It’s really easy to get caught up in “I need to do this” and “I must have this”. Don’t lose sight of the point of your day. My advice is pick 2-3 really good ideas that you find and focus on those instead of trying to focus on 15 things you find you want to do.

Blog inspired by Pencil & Pancakes

The Perfect Holiday Wedding

Holiday weddings are truly spectacular. Many bride and grooms choose to get married in their favorite element, which is often snow! There is something beautiful and cheerful about the holidays and snow. There are many reasons to have a holiday wedding too! First, you save money on decorations at numerous venue locations as they are already decorated for the holidays. Second, it’s a great time to have a wedding if you know out of town guests will be in town for the holidays.

Mark Parsons Photography

Take the time to add fun and special wintertime and/or holiday details to your wedding like an all white wedding, or giving throw blankets as favors, and serving hot buttered rum as specialty drink. If you want over the top, have an ice sculpture with fake snow in a room with dripping chandeliers, and don’t forget the bling!

 

Source: Pinterest

Want your cake to sparkle plus taste amazing? Order a white frosted sugar cake with each layer a different festive holiday flavor like, rum cake with a cheesecake filling, spice cake with a creamy cinnamon filling, and classic dark chocolate cake with a cranberry sauce filling, yum! Lots of candles will not only create a romantic atmosphere but also a cozy atmosphere, so choose a venue that allows candlelight and maybe a fireplace. Wintertime wedding dresses are so much fun to find, because you can actually wear the new trend of sleeves and will feel comfortable and not hot, like summer brides must face with this latest wedding trend.

Remember to take a few of these wintertime issues into consideration when planning your wedding. First, consider the weather, does it snow mostly every winter season where you live? Second, flights are more likely to be canceled during the winter months, remember that for out of town guests. Many of your friends could be out of town visiting their family around Christmas time, so remember to send a save the date cards as soon as you are engaged.

Enjoy planning your holiday wedding; it’s a fun time to get married!  For some ideas, be sure to follow TLC Events on Pinterest.. and check out some of our Winter Wedding Pins!

Source: Pinterest

Reblogged from MEGA Weddings & Events

At The Center…

A centerpiece may be the focal point on a table but it does not have to be too extreme or cost you the earth. Many brides have created something special with a few flowers and a mason jar. Just because you choose something that is DIY or looks DIY does not mean you have to do it yourself, it could however land up saving you a lot of money at the end of the day if you did.

7 tips on how to have/make a fabulous centerpiece on a DIY budget.

1. Buy some of the items yourself. If you choose to have a glass jar or book in the centerpiece ask the decor company if you can supply your own and get a discount on the centerpieces for doing so. If you are doing the centerpiece yourself buy books from a second-hand store or use some of your own. Buy the glass jars and jugs directly from the supplier if you can.

2. Be aware of things when you shop or page through magazines.
You will often find the item you are looking for, for cheaper when shopping around or reading the captions below the images in bridal magazines. You might even find an idea that is similar and equally beautiful but is less effort and less expensive.

3. When doing a centerpiece yourself ALWAYS go straight to suppliers or factory stores first. Smaller stores have to put a further mark-up on products, which might be convenient but it will be more expensive. You will also be exposed to a wider range of items at the supplier.

4. Choose flowers that are in season or buy fresh bunches. Buy bunches of fresh flowers from your local flower shop and arranging those in jars or vases. This will save you a fortune.  When you find a bunch you like be sure to take a photo,  and ask if it will be available at the time of your wedding.

5. Practice makes perfect. If you plan on doing it yourself, the flower arranging can be a bit tricky so practice as many times as you need to. Don’t get frustrated as having something on the table you designed or created from scratch will be worthwhile. It gives your wedding that extra personal touch. Take photos so that the day before the wedding the person arranging it for you knows exactly how you want it arranged.

6. A little bit of ribbon and lace can go a long way. Spice things up with some ribbon, twine or lace to give your centerpiece that finished look. If you’ve chosen a colourful or vintage tin then you might want to skip the ribbon or lace, see what works and go with it.

7. Make sure to place your table number on or close to your centerpiece. If your table number is fairly plain this will bring it to life and complement the centerpiece.

Have a look at the lovely images below for inspiration and centerpiece ideas.

Image credit: The High Life Suite

Image credit: Fanantique

Image credit: Heart Love Weddings

Image credit: Miss to Missus

Image credit: Tipsy Bride

Image credit: My Wedding

Image credit:  Martha Stewart

Image credit: Brides

Image credit: Sour Cherry

Image credit: Martha Stewart

Image credit: Aileen Tran

Image credit: HWTM

Please click on Hwtm link to see the full tutorial.

Image credit: One Wed

Image credit: Brides

Image credit: Heather Spriggs

Image credit: Sawdust and Cream

Image credit: Ruffled Blog

Image credit: Bravo Bride

Image credit: Knots and Kisses

Image credit: Rock My Wedding

Image credit: Elizabeth Anne Designs

Image credit: Magnet Street

Image credit: Celebration

So many pretty ideas to choose from! Remember to never underestimate your creativity when creating a centerpiece.

 

Blog Inspired by TOAST

Just Engaged?

Labor Day has passed, autumn is almost upon us ….which means it’s the start of “engagement season”! (Yes, we have a term for it.) I don’t know about you, but my Facebook page is starting to blow up with engagement announcements! I absolutely love newly engaged couples because there is SO much love and excitement around getting engaged!

But then soon after that excitement wears off, you’re hit with the reality of the fact that you have to plan a wedding– something that you most likely have no clue about, right?! Sure, you’ve been in a wedding or two, or maybe one of your close friends recently got married, but things are different when it’s YOUR wedding! And if you’re anything like me, you have NO idea where to start. Well, don’t fret, because I am here to help you out! I have compiled the 10 things you need to do first to get started with your wedding planning.

1. Set a budget

You shouldn’t be doing anything before sit down and talk about & decide on a budget. Sit down with your parents, family members, or just the two of you, figure out who is contributing, how much they can contribute, and what your total budget will be Then you can move on to #2!

 2. Choose 2-3 possible dates

To be safe, choose 2-3 possible dates to have your wedding. Think of the time of year, the weather, work schedules/vacation time, holidays, and yes, even football season (or whatever sport your fiance/family is crazy about). Then choose your #1 preferred date, and have a #2 and #3 available in case your preferred date isn’t available. This is extremely important because venues book up fast…some even book up to a year and half in advance!

 3. Start your guest list

Of course you want to invite everyone you know to your wedding. But here’s my warning for you: the more people you have, the more you have to spend. (This is why you do your budget first.)

Example: You want to have 200 guests. Your budget is $20,000. This means that you will have $100 per guest. 

So as you see, starting your guest list and knowing your estimated maximum guest count early is super imporant! And keep in mind that guest counts usually go down by the time your wedding day comes around- and believe me… it’ll get really easy to cut the people you haven’t talked to in forever from the guest list.

Here are some ideas on how to control your guest list… or use this flow chart…

 4. Decide on your wedding’s style & colors

Vintage, modern, classic, eclectic, handmade, rustic… there are SO many styles out there! The beauty of “wedding styles” is that they also coincide with decor and details, and so knowing from the beginning will help you later on.  No need to design your whole wedding right now though- just know the general look and feel of how you want your wedding to be.  It’s also a good time to decide on what colors you may want to have incorporated into your big day… Once you know that, it’ll be easier to move on to #5… 

 5. Decide on your venue

So all of the first 4 steps can essentially be done all in one sitting. That’s easy, right? Well once you have all of those decisions made, you can start researching and visiting venues. When you’re researching and you find a venue that you like, I highly recommend contacting them and asking if they have any of your possible dates available. If they do, then go ahead and schedule a time to tour the venue. Give yourself a few (1 to 3 max) weeks to tour all of your possibilities (depending on how long you have before your wedding date of course), crunch numbers, envision your wedding there (or not), and then book your venue! Once you have your venue booked (meaning deposit made and contract signed), your date is secured… you are just steps away from getting MARRIED!

6. Research

First and foremost, if you didn’t already hire a wedding planner during the first 5 steps…I strongly suggest you consider one….They will be able to give you great recommendations and save you time & frustration!

Vendors:

Researching potential vendors is HUGE. There are so many great wedding professionals out there now, and you want time to be able to choose the right ones for you. You definitely don’t want to be rushed, but at the same time, time is of the essence. (If you don’t have a wedding planner, go to here’s what you need to know when hiring your vendors.)

When you’re researching, be sure to check out the vendor’s portfolio, bio, pricing info (if they have it available) and their blog. Feel free to do research on every single type of vendor you need, but the ones that are crucial and book up quickly are the photographer, florist, and caterer (if applicable).

Moving on, the next steps are going to pertain to these 3 things. [After you’ve completed the following steps for the previously mentioned vendors, then you’ll move on to your entertainment, event decor, rentals, invitations, videographer and cake. And then you’ll go on to hair and makeup, transportation, tux rentals, favors, and any extras.]

Part 2 of Research is…

WEDDING DRESS!

Yes, it’s in caps because it’s *that* exciting! Isn’t it pretty much the very first thing you wanted to do- look at wedding dresses?! I mean, come on, who doesn’t like wedding dresses? 😉 But in all seriousness, you want to be sure that you research the types of dresses you like and the stores that carry them.

7. Inquire With and Interview Vendors

So by now you’ve done your research and you know what vendors you like. Now it’s time to contact the vendor, find out if they’re available for your date, ask about pricing/cost (if you want to), and schedule a consultation. I recommend meeting with up to three of each type of vendor, one if you already absolutely love them and they sell you right away, two if you’re pretty set but want to know other options, and three if you’re not sure. It just really depends on you, your decision making skills, and your taste. 🙂

8. Hire Your Vendors

Of course the next step is to make your pick & hire one of those vendors that you’ve met and fallen in love with. After your consultations, try to let vendors know your decision a week or two from when they provide you with an estimate/proposal. And then hooray! You’re one step closer to your wedding day! Important note: Once you’ve hired someone, please let the other vendors that you met with know that you won’t be going with them. I know it sucks to do it and yes, you might feel awkward, but it has to be done- they have to know! A nice, simple email will suffice.

9: WEDDING DRESS!

Alright, so you have some of your vendors booked… now it’s time to take a break and go wedding dress shopping! I don’t think this needs much explanation.

10: Design & Detail Inspiration

Remember back in the first 5 steps when I had you decide on your wedding style? Well with the second round of vendors you will meet with next (florals, decor, invitations, rentals, cake) you’ll need to have a good idea of what you want your wedding to be like, so it’s time to focus on design and details! What do you want your wedding to look like? Design is more of a general term, and details is more of the specifics (and where your personality can really shine through too!). This too is something that requires lots of research… which in the wedding world we like to call INSPIRATION! 🙂 I’m sure many of you have probably already started saving photos of things that you like and are Pinning away for your dream wedding. After all, this big, beautiful wedding world here on the internet does almost solely revolve around design and details! But you want to make sure that you have enough inspiration to be able to accurately convey to your potential vendors what it is you want for your wedding. And then in the same breath, you don’t want to have too much inspiration either!

Don’t forget to bring your inspiration with you to your consultations! You can probably even just pull up your Pinterest boards in your meetings- which I think is absolutely amazing.

Once you get to the last step for your first set of vendors, then move on to the next set! Wedding planning is like a roller coaster- you’ll go really fast at full-speed, then you’ll slow down, and then you’ll speed up again. Yes it’s normal, and it’s okay to have a lull in planning. Basically that roller coaster ride just keeps going until you get married. 😉

2013 Color Trends

By now you have probably heard about Pantone’s Color of the Year for 2012 – Tangerine Tango… But what about the wedding you are planning for next summer? Here’s what the color experts at Pantone are predicting to be the 2013 color trends.

Use the beautiful ideas below for inspiration as you plan your 2013 wedding.

 

The hottest colors for next year will be blues and browns.

Source: Wedding Channel, BlogSpot, Wedding by Color, Project Wedding

 

Source: Bride Wedding, Martha Stewart, DIY Wedding Planner, My Beloved Adoria

 

Other important colors for 2013 are all shades of white and yellow.

Source: Susan Marie Weddings, Sweet & Saucy Shop, New England Fine Living, Party Favorites Blog

Source: Candy Warehouse, IfTheRingFits

 

Metallics will also be pretty hot next year.

Source: Dorsi, Charm City Cakes, 100 Layer Cake, The Knot

 

Did you already have your heart set on a wedding theme in Tangerine Tango?  Not to worry, the color orange will remain popular in 2013! And what about the color that will fall in popularity next year? The experts at Pantone predict the color red will become less popular.

You can choose to follow the hottest colors, or simply follow your heart, but make sure you love the color palate you choose, because you’ll cherish the memories and images of your Big Day for a very long time.