Christmas can help you save money on your wedding

Christmas is a great time to buy decorations for your wedding, even
if it takes place in March, or any other month for that matter. No
I'm not talking about using red and green garland to decorate the
cake table. What I am talking about is using decorations that don't
look like traditional Christmas items.

For example: I went to Pier One and found some adorable fish
themed Christmas tree ornaments. Each was a different fish shape,
about six inches across, with glitter and sequins. The colors were
dark blue, light blue, aqua and white. If I were having a beach
themed wedding these would make darling center pieces placed in a
fish bowl with salt in the bottom to mimic sand and a few shells.
That's how I used them in my bath room.

If you're planning a winter wedding perhaps you're thinking of a
wonderland theme. Snowflakes could be attached to silver spray
painted branches as centerpieces. Strung on fishing wire and hung
from the ceiling they look like they're floating gently down to
earth.

Christmas mini lights go on sale after Christmas and white lights
look very romantic. String them over arches. Use battery operated
lights to decorate the cake and gift tables. Please battery
operated lights in frosted glass vases. Intersperse them through
greenery.

You've probably noticed that colors other than red and green are
popular for Christmas. One year purple and pink were the must have
colors, another year blues from baby blue to navy were all the
rage. The popular colors show up in ribbons and bows as well as
tree decorations. Pick up wire edged ribbon now on sale if you can
find your wedding colors. Beautiful fluffy bows can take the
place of more pricey flower arrangements at the end of the church
pews on the aisles.

Candles are huge at Christmas. Votives, votive candles, tapers,
and pillar candles in white, off white, red, and of course green
are available at reasonable prices. Candles in a pretty votive
candle holder can be used as a wedding favor for your guests.

Good places to find decorations at great prices are drugstores and
big box stores. Unusual decoration can be found at import stores
and boutiques. Don't forget craft stores and of course shop online.

Look at Christmas decorations through new eyes and you just might
find that perfect accent for your wedding or favor for your guest.

Until next week.

Dee Power
Weddings on a Shoestring Budget

Soulmates

Ok. All you brides-to-be out there. Meet Soulmates. Ingenious ideas or hideous heel appendage? Would you outdoor brides wear these? Or hand them out to guests?

Anyone wish they trademarked these things?

Update on Rue la la

Here's an update on Rue la la girls. From now until December 31, if you do the following, they are going to give you a 10 dollar credit to use for their sample sales. Do I need to mention that the John Hardy boutique is up and running this morning AND shoshanna starts tomorrow? And by doing this, you automatically are invited to join the fun, so I am going to stop manually adding those of you who commented on the last post.

Here's what you do:

1. Go to www.ruelala.com/gift
2. Enter my e-mail: preppywedding@hotmail.com

And WOWSA. You get a 10 dollar credit.

Thanks to our friends at rue la la.

Great Bridesmaid or Christmas Gifts

UPDATE:
The Vera Bradley code is no longer working. I hope lots of you got some deals before they pulled the plug. As for rue la la, let me know if you're interested and I will invite you!

Don't know if you gals are looking for cute bridesmaid or Christmas gifts this year, but Vera Bradley has an awesome sale going on right now.

Cosmetic bags for 12 dollars (and an extra 50 percent off)
Belts for 5 dollars (and an extra 50 percent off)
Duffels and purses for as low as 15 dollars (and an extra 50 percent off)

Go here now to order friends!

Here's the details on the free shipping and extra 50 percent off:
Additional 50% off clearance with code VBMILITARY and free shipping on orders of $100 or more with FreeShipDec (the free shipping code expires today).

Also, are you girls members of Ruelala? It's a members only site that is like one big sample sale. Today is the Kate Spade sale and the next sales will be David Yurman and Shoshanna. Some awesome deals there too. If you are interested in being a member, just leave your e-mail in the comments section and I will send you an invite!

Too Funny!

Wedding Designer

This is so funny! I never really thought that my career would become a video game, but here we are. I saw this on Amazon and decided to a search on this game - out of curiosity and of course procrastination from doing other things!

In my search I found what Sasha Souza had said about it: "Ninetendo's new game for DS is Imagine Wedding Designer. Hahaha. Cause, yeah, sometimes my job is just like a video game only without the cheat codes."

Oh so true!!

Venue Spotlight

Hello Blogger World!

I've decided I would try out something new to blog about. I want to do some "spotlights" on venues in Central Texas and beyond and possible featuring other vendors as well.

My first spotlight is..... Laguna Gloria in Austin, Texas!

This venue is absolutely beautiful and one-of-a-kind! I love the convenience of being so close to downtown but also far enough away to avoid some of the commotion that can occur in Austin. You can also chose to have your bridal and/or engagement photos taken here as well. I always jump at the chance of doing weddings here. We've done a few dozen at this location and each time its always a different look and feel. Below are some pictures that I found - either from our events or from the lovely search function of Google!

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This is the front part of Laguna Gloria. I usually like to add a sign-in table here to direct guests to go through the gate.

We've done a lot of fun things on this front gate from floral wreaths, hanging flowers and amazing lighting to create that unique and welcoming feel.











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I call this the "side lawn" or "sculpture garden". I love this part of the grounds because its one of the flatter parts and its a great spot to have dinner and dancing. You can add at tent and a dance floor here - and my personal favorite - hanging lanterns or chandeliers, flowers, candles or all of the above!











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The Amphitheater. This is probably the most popular spot to hold a ceremony at Laguna Gloria. I love the beautiful water background and the very natural feel of it all. There is even a boat dock nearby that one of my couples did the exit from - sailing away into the sunset!




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The "Temple of Love"

This setting is also very lovely and a little bit of the trek from the main grounds. It makes a really intimate setting for your vows. If space allows - I highly recommend this setting.

Engagments!

Engagement photos!!!

I definitely encourage couples to take engagement photos. Couple of reasons - 1. Get to know your photographer. This makes it less awkward when they show up on the day of and you have this person(s) in your "personal space". Its definitely beneficial to develop that level of comfort prior to the big day. 2. I think its just nice to have some great photos of you and your honey in your non-weddingy attire.

There are so many great spots to have your pictures taken. Laguna Gloria is a popular. Also, there are some cute funky spots like Road House Relics or the side of the Austin Convention center. I think its truly important to pic a spot that reflects your personality. Your photographer will have some great ideas and maybe some secret spots to share with you.







Mary Amanda and Ross are getting married in February at Barr Mansion in Austin. I honestly can't get enough of these two! The wonderful Sarah Q did their fun photos and my lovely sister did her hair and makeup.

The Wiregrass Weddings Divas!

The wonderful group of women that is behind Wiregrass Weddings went to jail the other day! The Old Coffee County jail in downtown Elba, Alabama served as the backdrop for our meeting with friend and awesome photographer, Mike Moseley of Moseley Photography and Design. Mike took some great pictures of my "divas" and I just wanted to share the pictures of my awesome staff with you all and at the same time, fill you in on the whole wedding program process!

---

ANNA

This is the only picture that Mike didn't take!!! Anna was sick the day of our photoshoot and this is my attempt to copy Mike's true gift as a "real" photographer!!

Anna writes up all of the orders by creating a folder, a "paper to pull" tag, a "ribbon to cut" tag and adding it to our order tracking worksheet (where we track all of the orders). Then she does the first rough draft of the wedding program.

She is the proud mother to Smoke, the weimaraner, and Bentley, the dauchaund.

---

LYNDSAY

Next, Lyndsay "tweaks" the wedding program and prints out a copy to be proofed. Lyndsay also stays busy at the end of the process, as she is the one that prints the wedding programs and bills each customer.

Lyndsay enjoys creating new things, so if you have any special requests or projects that you would like to tackle, she's your girl! She's also a "pageant nut", so if you need anything printed for a pageant, call her!

---

SYLVIA
After the wedding programs are typeset, they go to our resident wedding expert and former English teacher, Sylvia, for proofing. Sylvia is also a pro at operating our ribbon cutter and she cuts all of the ribbon with the hot knife cutter to give it a finished edge.

Sylvia lives right across the street from Wiregrass Weddings with her husband, Jack. She's a champ at remembering each holiday and birthday and is quick to bring a wonderful, homemade cake to celebrate. She is very active in her church (Whitewater Baptist) where she serves as the Vacation Bible School Chairman and a Sunday School Teacher. She is also employeed part time by Moseley Photography and Design.

---

KERRI (with two r's)

After proofing, Kerri is in charge of making all of the changes to the wedding programs and then sending the first draft to the customer for approval. She makes all of the changes requested by the customer and gets the orders ready to print. Kerri also handles most of the UPS for Wiregrass Weddings.

She is an avid animal lover and has two cats and two dogs and has plans to pursue a nursing degree in the near future.

---

KERI (with one r)

Once the programs have been printed, Keri and Maria (see below) handle the assembly, with the rest of the crew pitching in as needed. They cut, fold, punch and tie to ensure that each program is just perfect! Then they box, stuff, tape, measure and weigh to make sure that they arrive to each customer safe and sound.

Keri is also employeed part time with UPS and is an active member of her church, First Assembly of God.

---

MARIA

In addition to her job duties listed above (see Keri with one r), Maria and Keri also help with keeping our paper supplies in stock. They also both help with random projects such as direct mailing and website maintenance.

Maria is married to her husband, Kevin and is mother to Kendallyn and Kaeden. She serves as the youth pastor at the same church, First Assembly of God.

---

LAURIE

Then there is me, Laurie. I'm in charge of vacuuming up the paper punches all over the floor after a hard day of work. I also pay the bills. Other than that, I just help out where I'm needed.

Right now, we all work out of my home, where I live with my husband of 10 years, Jim and our two kiddos, Brooke and Bradley. We are in the process of completing a new building, which we hope to by occupying in the next couple of months.... I'll update you all on that in the next blog!

'til then...

~Laurie

Ashely & Owen - Kali Kate, Buda Texas

For those of you who have never been to Kali Kate, you really need to go check it out. It has so many little details built into the place, its takes a while to notice them all. Ashley and Owen were married there a few months ago, and I'm still working on getting more weddings posted. (excuses, excuses, I know - but I am trying!!)

They have such a cute love story and have known each other for most their lives. I helped them put together a slide show for their rehearsal dinner and got to see all their adorable pictures growing up. It was so awesome seeing all their friends and family just supporting them completely.

Here are their lovely pictures from their wedding day courtesy of Tyler Schmitt Photography. As usual, they did not disappoint.








The gorgeous flowers were done by the ever so wonderful:


Petal Pushers - we love us some Stacey!

Guess whose Christmas cards are done? All for $5.50, shipped. Times are tough and this preppy gal is adapting. Head to snapfish to order yours today!

Great Christmas Card Deal

Just wanted to share this fantastic deal I found online last night. If you order 20 of the 4x8 photo cards from snapfish and enter the code CARD08 at checkout, the cards are only 1 penny each, a total of 20 cents plus a few dollars for shipping and handling.

While these cards aren't as cute as some of my other favorites, this is a great deal. I think the code expires on 11/23, so get them while you can!

Here are a few of my favorite designs -

The Preppy Empire Expands

First, I want to thank so many of you for your concern these last few weeks. I have been a bad blogger lately and it shows. No posts, no fun quips from yours truly, no preppy wedding finds, not even a peep about politics.

Well, I am hoping all you readers out there in blogland will blame this on my inability to do anything other than spontaneously gag, sleep and cry these last few months.

And if you really need someONE to blame....

Try the little preppy baby that Mr. Preppy Wedding and I will be having in May. That's right - we're pregnant.

It's been three months, but I am still trying to wrap my head around the whole having a baby thing. I'm so excited, but I am also nervous and am just glad that as I enter my second trimester, the whole day sickness phenomenon is starting to wane.

So, here's the deal. I am still going to post on this site. I'm going to tailor my posts specifically to wedding related stuff. And if you want to hear more about all things preppy baby, check out my new site.

It feels good to finally fess up to you guys about my absence. Don't give up on me though, I've still got lots of preppy inspiration to share.

Beautiful Wedding Invitations

Milling around the offices of Wiregrass Weddings I stumbled upon this ever so lovely wedding invitation.  Designed by WW program associate Lyndsay Elliott, this invitation is one for the scrapbook.  

Lately I've been wrapped up in all things wedding programs, but this invitation turned my gaze. I'm thinking about hosting a wedding just so I can have some of these printed!

Suzanah     

apologies!

apologies for being away so long... wedding plans have been away from my mind as my father was diagnosed in August with a malignant brain tumour (glioblastoma multiforme)... :(

I've been busy flying between the US and Australia non-stop, and living in a constant state of jet-lag and tears.

However, I will try and update regularly again, now that things are a bit more calm...


if you are interested in donating or for more information on this devastating disease, please see:

Brain Tumour Australia

Australian Brain Tumour Association

US Brain Tumour Society

Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure

North American Brain Tumour Coalition

Thoughtful Hostess Gifts

A friend of a friend is getting married soon.  A shower was held and there were many, many hostesses.  Thank you gifts for the tribe of women throwing the party were needed.  In place of the typical picture frame, candle, or crystal dish, the bride baked miniature pound cakes. Attached was a printed recipe straight from her future grandmother-in-law's kitchen.  Very nice. 

Now I love a good picture frame and candles can be nice, but why not save a little money and create something more handmade and personal?  My hostess friend thought it was a lovely idea. A yummy treat and nothing new to dust.  I consider that a success.   

Suzanah

 

Southern Weddings Magazine

Woohoo! Its here - sort of. They're still adding on more features but you can definitely check out all the beautiful weddings and inspiration details. We are SO excited to be a part of this and wish them every bit of success! Check it here!

Happy Halloween

Mother of the Bride Dresses

Finding the perfect Mother of the Bride dress can be a challenge. Recently, I observed as a friend frantically searched for a dress to wear to her daughter's wedding.  It was a morning wedding. The dress needed to have that lovely just below the knee length - not too long and not too short.  

Color was also an issue. My friend had studied too many wedding photos where the Mother of the Bride or the Mother of the Groom wore brightly colored dresses that distracted from the overall photo.  A softer color was desired.  Elegance was a priority.

We spent hours searching the internet for dresses.  Dozens of speciality shops were consulted. My friend eventually found her dress in Montgomery, Alabama at Chantilly Boutique.  The dress was made by Mon Cheri. 

Tips for Finding a Mother of the Bride Dress:

• Consult with friends whose daughters have recently married.  Where did they find dresses?  Visit those stores.
• Use the internet to find the style(s) you like.  
• Print pictures of the dresses to show shop owners so they will know for what you are looking. 
• Start early.
• Get your daughter's approval. 
• If all else fails, email me.  I can help you look.  

Happy hunting,

Suzanah

ahandwrittennote@gmail.com

  

Hi Everyone ... I'm Fine

Hey everybody -

Thanks for all the well wishes gals (and guys). I am so sorry for my absence these last few weeks. Things just got pretty crazy and overwhelming, so I needed to try and take a blog breather.

And not to worry, I have not been hiding under a rock this last month, instead, I have:

- Seeing Bailey perform as Elle Woods in one of her last performances of Legally Blonde on Broadway. LOVE. THIS. SHOW. I was singing Oh My God, Oh My God You Guys the entire time I was in NYC.

- Hung out with my in-laws for a week in Duck. We stayed in an awesome neighborhood AND I got to stop here for a fro-yo flurry on the way there and on the way home.

- Found the perfect fall dress. In leopard print. For 20 dollars. Warning for you gals who wear larger than an A cup, this dress makes your girls look huge!

- Am almost done planning my 10 year high school reunion. We're having a party on Saturday here and a picnic in our hometown that's kid friendly on Sunday. Anyone want to drive over to my house to help me stuff 30 grab bags for the kids on Sunday.

I promise to bring you some wedding/fall/preppy inspiration in the coming days, I just wanted everyone to know I was ok.

Oh and one more thing, I need help lovely readers. As you know the preppy pooches, Dempsey and LuLu always make a costume statement on Halloween. I am totally stumped this year. I haven't seen anything cute at my normal go-to places (target and old navy). Suggestions?

Think small to save big

One of the major costs of a wedding is the reception. And food takes a huge chunk of the reception budget. A very clever way to save on costs is to think small. Bite sized is best.



A sit down dinner can run as much as $75 per person without the wine. That means a guest list of 150 is going to run a tab of close to $12,000. Instead of dinner consider a buffet of bite size appetizers, or even better those appetizers passed on trays by servers. People have a tendency to fill up a plate at a buffet wasting a good portion of the food or stuffing themselves. They're much less likely to chow down in front a wait person or clear off their tray.



It takes a good 15 minutes after you start to eat for your brain to tell your tummy that you're getting full. It takes longer to consume food if you have to wait for the server to come back with another portion.



Little appetizers are very fashionable right now. Served creatively and elegantly your guests won't even realize you're cutting back on costs. Here are a few suggestions:



3 tiny shrimp served on mini rye toasts, spread with cream cheese, garnished with a sprig of dill



Cherry tomatoes stuffed with cottage cheese, basil, and Parmesan cheese



A slice of rare roast beef with a dab of honey mustard sauce served in a pastry puff



Chicken drummetes, chicken wings with the meat pushed down to one end



Sushi - california rolls can be bought the day before.



Salad to go - tiny grape tomatoes, shredded carrots, diced cucumber, baby lettuces served in a small clear plastic 4 ounce cup



Mini burritos. Stuff the smallest size flour tortillas with your favorite burrito mixture, then cut in half.

Augment the mini appetizers with a lavish display of veggies and dip or a basket of crackers and cheeses.

Check out the freezer case of your grocery store for more appetizer ideas. Choose those that taste good at room temperature. It's easier to keep foods cold because you can serve them on a bed of ice, or place the serving plate on a bed of ice. Keeping hot foods hot is more of a challenge. Small servings of food have a tendency to cool off faster.

Garnish the serving plates with ruffled kale, a bed of butter lettuce, or thinly sliced citrus fruit. Garnishes don't get eaten (usually) and cost much less than the appetizer, yet they take up space on the plate and enhance the attractiveness of the food.

Dee

October 11, 2008 - Monroe, Louisiana

Well kids, I'm back from Monroe, Louisiana and met some really great people. Last year Jessica Claire held a contest for free photography from her including all travel fees for a deserving couple. Jessica is California based photographer that is always on the go and shooting so many locations. I'm often envious of all her travels. She's well known throughout the wedding community and is truly an artist and someone to aspire to be.

The winners: Anna & Chris! They were nominated by Anna's family and that's how this all began. Elysium Productions (also based out of Orange County) and I decided to sweeten the pot and include our services as well. I can't wait to see the finished product from the both of them, but here's a teaser from Jessica's blog. I really enjoyed meeting all the families and Anna & Chris's wedding was so much fun! I know people say that a lot about weddings, but this one was one for the books!

Also, thank you to Crystal Goss out of Arkansas for joining the crew, too!

Fancies – Yes, Diamonds Come in Colors.

Think of diamonds and you think of breathtakingly clear stones, clear as water, pure as ice. But diamonds do come in colors, over 300 different colors in diamonds have been found in nature so far. Diamonds are normally graded from colorless or rare white, to brown. Black is not used in jewelry except as a novelty item. Colors deeper than light yellow are not usually used in jewelry making, although on occasion, champagne diamonds or cognac diamonds appear. These are really, in most cases, white diamonds of an inferior color grade, rather than fancy diamonds.

The colorless is the most expensive of the white diamonds. Diamonds with a faint tint of yellow are less valuable and a yellow color visible to the naked eye are the least valuable.

Fancies are the term used for colored diamonds. Diamonds can be found in every color and intensity: red, blue, yellow, green, and lavender. The intensity of the colors can range from palest pink to red, lightest blue to sky blue and so forth. Fancy diamonds are rarer than white diamonds. The most common fancy colors are yellow ranging from canary yellow to orange. Colors such as pink, lavender and light green occur much more rarely than the yellow colors. Most valuable of all are the deep reds, greens and blues.

One word of caution: colored diamonds can be created artificially by subjecting inexpensive yellowish and brown stones to radiation or heating. Fancy diamonds, other than green, can be tested to see if the color is natural or the color has been induced. Fancy diamonds can also be created synthetically. These artificially colored, or produced diamonds, don't have nearly the same value as fancy diamonds found naturally. It some cases the colors fade, revert back to their natural state, or change color.

The Hope diamond is an example of a fancy blue diamond. The Argyle Mine in Australia produces a small number of red diamonds and is the world's largest producer of pink diamonds. Several of their pink diamonds have sold for over $1,000,000 per carat.

The Dresden diamond is an apple green diamond weighing 40.70 carats. The Tiffany diamond is orange.

Colored diamonds are valued on a different scale than white diamonds. The color's saturation, hue, and darkness determine the value. In other words the more intense the color the more valuable the diamond is. Make sure you take any fancy diamond you plan on purchasing to a certified lab for evaluation.

Dee

Party Ideas for Kids

Weddings on a Shoestring Budget

How to Freeze Wedding Cake

Saving the top layer of the wedding cake, if stored properly, can be a meaningful and delicious part of a couple's anniversary celebration.  Wiregrass Weddings' Laurie Chapman had a three-tiered basket weave cake in all white.  Like many brides, she saved the top layer for later. 

Last week, Laurie's mom called to tell her that she found her wedding cake.  Laurie and Jim were married on March 21, 1998!  Regardless of how well a cake is packaged, ten years is too long.

WikiHow(dot)com has the following suggestions for freezing wedding cakes:

1.  Wrap cake in aluminum foil

2.  Place wrapped cake in sealable baggy.

3.  Secure wrapped and sealed cake in a metal tin to protect from getting smooshed in the freezer.

It is important to freeze cake as soon as possible, so don't wait until after your honeymoon. Before the reception, decide who will be in charge of packaging the portion of the cake you choose to freeze.

Happy  freezing,

Suzanah

5 Tips for a Champagne Wedding on a Shoestring Budget

Are you faced with planning a wedding on a shoestring budget? Considering the state of today's economy, you can rest assured that you're not alone. Many brides-to-be are in the same boat. You can have a champagne wedding on a shoestring budget.

The good news is this: there are many things you can do that will actually help you save money on your wedding. You can still have a beautiful day, without spending thousands of dollars in the process.

Tip number one. Develop a budget. Be honest with yourself and your fiance about how much you can reasonably spend for your wedding. You can do some preliminary estimates by going to websites and seeing how much a three tiered wedding cake costs, a dramatic bridal bouquet, centerpieces, invitations, and so forth. Once you set a budget limit, stick to it. It's easy to get carried away and decide that the darling tissue paper liners for the save the date cards are a must have and add only $100 to the total cost of the invitations. The problem is that if you keep adding $100 here and there you'll end up thousands over budget.

Tip number two. Decide what's important to you. If you've always dreamed of a beautifully embroidered wedding gown with yards of lace then cut back in other areas. Or find a wedding gown that fulfills your dream but is second hand. Because most dresses are only worn once, opting for a 'gently used' gown is almost like purchasing a new one... for a whole lot less.

Many bridal shops carry at least a small selection of used wedding dresses. You can also utilize online resources such as eBay. You will probably be surprised at the number of 'designer' gowns that are currently up for grabs, for a fraction of the price.

Tip number three. Determine what you truly want. You might think that a sit down formal dinner is the only alternative for your wedding but what you really want is to share a wonderful meal with friends and family. There are alternatives to that sit down dinner. A buffet is a great idea and cuts costs, or what about an elegant boxed lunch picnic? Or perhaps consider a selection of appetizers instead of a full meal.

Tip number four. Offer your guests the opportunity to help pay for your wedding as their wedding gift. Several of your friends could decide to pay for or supply the wine for your wedding. Others could participate in paying for the wedding cake, music, photographer, and so forth. This isn't as crass as asking for cash donations directly and it makes your guests feel they made more of a contribution to your happy day than just showing up.

Tip number five. Research, research, RESEARCH! There are many websites that provide information on low-cost weddings. Take the time to visit several of them. Chances are you will run across MANY great ideas that you may not have thought of on your own.

The websites don't necessarily have to be geared specifically toward weddings. Even sites such as Better Homes & Gardens and Redbook often feature wedding related articles.

Follow these tips and you can have a beautiful wedding on a shoestring budget.

Hand Assembly Included

Thanks Laurie. It is so much fun to be a part of Laurie's productions. The energy in her office is amazing. There is always a phone call to answer and a wedding program to nurture. Laurie understands what it takes to make her brides happy. I've never heard her say that something could not be done. Behind the scenes at Laurie's looks like a talented group of people working diligently to make each client's wedding day special.

Laurie and her team focus a lot of their time and energy on wedding programs. Each program is hand assembled and checked for quality. We live in a day and age when phone calls are outsourced and speaking with an automated computer is the norm. There is no press one for programs, two for invitations, three for operator at Wiregrass Weddings. Clients speak directly to the creators of their one of a kind programs.

If I were a bride in search of programs, it would matter to me that my programs came from a business started by a young mom. It would matter to me that she employs a tribe of talented women who seek to make a difference in their own worlds. It is easy for me to see that around here, it is more than just a program.

Happy Monday.

Unique Bud Vase Floral Arrangements

Looking for a ideas to decorate a reception hall, or how to decorate a church for a wedding? Maybe you are looking for a nice centerpiece for a dining room or living room. Unique bud vase floral arrangements are a great solution for all of these decorating needs.

When you are decorating a reception hall or a church for a wedding, you want something unique and beautiful. I found these unique and interesting bud vases at www.coniartglass.com that are handmade in Europe. They are extremely affordable, and make wonderful gifts too. They are versatile in that they can be used as a bud vases, oil lamps, or even as reed diffusers. Coni Art Glass will send you the hardware to use them as oil lamps if you wish, or reeds in case you wish to use them as reed diffusers, just let them know. For any purpose, they are a perfect solution for many decorating needs.

These bud vases come in many colors, shapes and sizes, and are extremely affordable. Contact www.coniartglass.com to order today.

Oh, Suzanah!

I'm excited about tomorrow -- my good friend, Suzanah, will be coming over to help me keep up with my blog!  She is a gifted writer and will be in charge of putting all of my blog post ideas on the site for you.  Just to give you a little background on Suzanah, I would like to give you a brief introduction...  Suzanah is an ordained minister.  She was ordained in the Baptist church, but currently is serving my local non-denominational church (Covenant Community Church) as the "global minister in residence".  Basically, what that means is that she helps us to focus our thoughts, energy, gifts and talents on worldy issues.  She has traveled to Africa several times to volunteer at a children's home, but her main day-to-day tasks include heading up a maternal health initiative where 60 birthing attendants in Haiti are given monthly supplies and annual supplies.  They are supplied with enough "birthing kits" to attend a total of 600 births per month. 

That being said, I'm happy to be welcoming Suzanah to the bunch.  She is an inspiration to be around and a great friend as well.

That's your cue, Suzanah -- take it away!

 

~Laurie

Tami & Ross - Lakeway Resort & Spa

Lakeway Resort & Spa

Tami and her mom were so much fun to work with. They are the "O" in organized. I really loved that it makes my job easier to where I can focus on the fun stuff like decor! I really enjoyed assisting in the event design of this wedding. From the unique style of the chair ties to the really cool altar.

Much kudos to my fabulous wedding team:

Pam Hults - a' La Vie Photography
Petal Pushers
Michelle's Patisserie
Reunion Band
Alexia Gavela Bridal












These chair ties are from BBJ Linen. They are the "apple" color. You can use chair ties as table runners as well. We created a unique way to use the ties because bows would simply not work. This was defintely a labor love but it really was worth it. Thanks to Angela on the Lucie's team for doing such a great job!














Can you tell that I absolutely adore Petal Pushers? I loved the simple clean look of the curly willow with white dendrobium orchids. It really filled up the Vistas Ballroom at Lakeway Resort.


















Specialty cupcakes from WildWood Art Cafe








Speaking of these chair ties... Apparently its tradition in this family to wear chair ties on your heads at the weddings. I was not privy to this info before hand, so this made a good laugh!








Fresh green cupcake and dessert display from Michelle's Patisserie. Props by Unexpected Elements.

Create a Gorgeous, Inexpensive Beach Wedding Centerpiece

You can create a beautiful, unique and inexpensive beach wedding centerpiece just like this one for just pennies! First, start with a clear vase and lots of fresh greenery, like palm leaves. Fill each vase with palm leaves and set on top of a mirror or a flat, smooth craft plate.

Sprinkle sand generously all around the vase, creating small sand mounds. The centerpiece should now resemble a sort of palm tree in the sand. Next, strategically place votive candles inside miniature hanging lanterns all around the vase to create gorgeous, romantic lighting. If you've used a mirror base, the reflection of the candles will add to the atmosphere.

Add a few starfish and some seashells and you've just created a completely one of a kind beach wedding centerpiece for much less than you would have spent on a premade centerpiece! You can change up the design of this centerpiece by adding other special touches, such as bamboo, tropical flowers such as orchids or even miniature sailboats. Add beach themed place cards and you've got a complete table setting! This beach wedding centerpiece is versatile enough to be used for each of your reception tables, your cake table and anywhere else you need unique and beautiful decorative touches for your beach theme wedding!

A New York City Urban Fairy Tale

Raquel & Xavier
September 27, 2008
Featured in Brooklyn Bride

Xavier and Raquel married civilly three years ago but they longed to marry through the Catholic Church. After going over many options they decided on an intimate and casual afternoon affair, with about 85 guests. They married on the day of their eight year anniversary since it was conveniently falling on a Saturday. The problem was that it left us with one month to plan the entire wedding.

Theme

It all started with selecting a venue. We recommended a restaurant located in Brooklyn called MyMoon since we felt it was an ideal place for an intimate wedding. Xavier and Raquel fell in love with its urban ambiance and its exquisite Turkish cuisine. We suggested deep hues of purple that would perfectly complement the browns and oranges of MyMoon’s décor. The couple wanted to pay homage to a theme that was close to their hearts. While Raquel’s godmother is a breast cancer survivor, Xavier’s aunt had recently lost her battle to breast cancer and they asked us to incorporate pink in their honor.

Stationary

We designed and created the wedding stationary suite. The wedding invitation was a square card in an antique blush color with purple font and a matching blush colored envelope. The wedding information was printed on the right side of the card and layers of purple raffia decorated the left side for a simple and elegant look. The RSVP card, program for the wedding ceremony and place card all complemented the invitations and gave a stylish representation of the affair.

Ceremony and
Reception Site

The ceremony was held at Mt. Carmel St. Anthony Church in Yonkers, New York. The afternoon reception took place in the Mediterranean restaurant, MyMoon, located in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Having been a former boiler room of an old factory, elements of the neighborhood’s industrial past added to the NYC feel that guests could experience. Its bare brick walls and exposed pipes definitely made it an incredibly unique venue.

Gown & Attire

Raquel wore a gorgeous, off white dress from BCBG Max Azria with a sequined bodice and beautifully layered skirt of tiered lace. Her hair was styled in a soft up-do with an antique hair comb and her mother’s vintage pearl necklace with matching earrings. Xavier wore a sand-colored, Perry Ellis three–piece suit that complemented the vintage inspired gown. The bridesmaids wore eggplant colored dresses by Calvin Klein while the groomsmen wore dark brown, Oscar de la Renta suits with matching ties that kept with the deep purple color scheme.

Decor

MyMoon needed very little decoration since the couple wanted to keep the industrial feel that exuded from it – but they still wanted to give the reception their own personal touch. We designed small flower arrangements to be placed on top of the bare wooden tables. MyMoon provided the place settings with its corresponding menu and ivory linens; each favor, which also served as a seating card, was set on top of each plate. Tables were named after NYC landscapes; with names written in deep red ink, black and white postcards with images of different city sights were placed at each table. For the seating arrangements, we created 8”x11” cards with each table name followed by the guests that were assigned to each specific table. Each card was inserted into a wooden frame; all frames were tied together with a purple colored string and the entire montage, surrounded by flower petals, covered a long table that was placed right at the entrance of the restaurant. Tall floral arrangements surrounded different areas of the restaurant including that of the guestbook table which was placed towards the front of the venue. The guestbook, a coffee table book of black and white photos of NYC, sat open on a picture of the Brooklyn Bridge where guests were invited to add to the couple’s NYC memories.

Flowers

The first thing the bride told us when we were brainstorming the décor was that she wanted different, non-traditional flowers. We created modern arrangements of burgundy coxcombs and dahlias, with hints of sparsa, in clear glass vases of varying sizes and shapes that were lined with burgundy banana leaves. The bridesmaids’ bouquets were composed of black calla lilies and burgundy dahlias tied with a purple wired, taffeta ribbon. The bride’s bouquet was crafted with ivory roses and white ranunculus tied together with ivory taffeta ribbon adding the perfect detail to the romantic style of her dress.

Cake

Since Raquel and Xavier wanted to stay away from the traditional tiered cake, we suggested red velvet, carrot and vanilla cupcakes with butter cream frosting in various shades of pink from Anna Artuso’s Pastry Shop. To add a little spark, the cupcakes were sprinkled with a hint of sparkling sugar on top. They were placed on a white, wooden cupcake stand that we covered with leaves dyed in a burgundy color.

Music

The couple decided to keep it simple and played music from their very own Ipod; Xavier made a smooth playlist that complemented the relaxed atmosphere. The music ranged from some of their favorite English artists such as Corinne Bailey Ray, Babyface and oldies like the Beatles to Spanish artists such as Juan Luis Guerra who played as we swayed to our first dance.

Favors

Since Raquel and Xavier wanted to give their guests something meaningful, they decided to honor their loved ones by pinning each guest with the emblematic pink cancer ribbon. For favors, they joined the Pink Envelope Project and made a donation to the Making Memories Breast Cancer Foundation on behalf of each guest. We inserted the pink favor cards into small straw bags and tied them with purple string; the same string was then used to tie printed labels with each person’s name thus doubling as a place card and adding to the creative flair of the event.

Photography

Raquel and Xavier were very anxious when it came down to choosing a photographer since after the wedding is over, pictures and memories are all that remain. We recommended Robert Sukrachand and after seeing his work, their anxiety quickly dissipated. Robert truly captured the essence of all the memorable moments utilizing a documentary style. The portrait session, which took place at an old, abandoned lot in Brooklyn while raindrops were falling, really exemplified the photographer’s talent. Against a backdrop of bricks and cement, each photo tells its very own story and brings forth the joy that everyone felt on their wedding day.