Me? A Bride?!

The time has come, I am officially planning my own wedding! I have, of course, been unofficially planning it for a couple years though (I'm not ashamed!). The greatest guy in the world got down on one knee on September 27, so I am about 7 weeks into our engagement.

There was very little I could do until we looked at venues, chose one, and picked a date. That could not happen until we were able to make it down to Santa Barbara, our destination of choice. And even THAT could not happen until I got back from my vacation in Japan, which was coincidentally timed for 2 weeks after our engagement. This drove the planner in me CRAZY! Hence, I survived.

So what have I done in the first 7 weeks?

 

We chose our wedding party!

We chose who we want by our sides on the most important and emotional day of our lives! I asked mine in a cute way- custom wine bottle labels and cutesie hair ties for the bridesmaids, and a sweet gift set for my maid of honor. Carson chose his, but will be asking them soon so I can't spill the beans! It's so important to choose these people wisely. They will have input on your wedding, will be there to help (hopefully!), and you'll want to look back 40 years from now and still love those people dearly. Plus, your maid of honor and best man have a lot of planning to do themselves for the bachelor/ette parties and showers! Choose wisely :)

We chose a venue!

We made it down to Santa Barbara the weekend after I returned from my trip. We saw 4 venues in one day (poor Carson must have been exhausted), and ultimately were deciding between two by the end of the day. I had made appointments at all the venues before I left on my trip. This is required/highly suggested so that you can meet with the point person at the venue, get all the details and specs on the site, and ask all your questions. You want to make sure the venue is a good fit for both your vision, as well as your necessities. Our vision involved glamour, a beach view, and an outdoor setting. Our necessities included wheelchair accessibility and availability in July or September. We placed some holds on both venues, but knew by the next day which one we wanted to go with. Here is our venue!

Fess Parker Doubletree-- Image by Melissa Musgrove Photography

 

We booked a photographer!

Photos are everything to me. I take photos (probably too many) of everything. I stalk wedding blogs and gush over the photography in them. I have known for a while that I would love to book Michael and Anna Costa Photography for my wedding one day, so they were one of the first vendors I reached out to once I got engaged (before we even had a venue or a date!). Other than videography, how else will you remember all the smiles, outfits, facial expressions, and décor without beautiful pictures that you'll cherish forever? I reached out to Anna right away, booked my date as soon as I could, and scheduled our engagement photo shoot. I highly recommend doing your engagement shoot with the photographer you'll have at your wedding so that you can meet, and sort of "practice" for the big day! Having a rapport with the photographer will make you more comfortable in front of the camera, and he or she will learn what types of poses do and do not work for you and your honey. I also chatted with her about my outfit choices for the engagement shoot, and she some great recommendations! Maybe she is just an all-star though and not all will be so helpful ;)

 

We booked a florist!

Similar to our photographer, I've known for a few years after working in the biz (very technical term for the wedding industry) that I wanted (no, NEEDED) NLC Productions to do our flowers. Nico's work is stunning, ethereal, and makes me question reality with what he is able to do with floral design. Plus, he is a fun, bubbly, sassy man with amazing style and taste. I reached out to him, prematurely, as well, and secured him for our date as soon as I could. One simple phone call explaining my vision to him, he was able to put together a proposal for me and the descriptions paired with the images he sent blew me away! Needless to say, and I am SO excited to see the end result. With him, as well as other vendors who are important to you, I would recommend reaching out to them as soon as you know you might want them. They can get to work on your proposal before you even have a date, so that once you do, you can get your wedding on the books immediately before someone else snatches them up! Having a team you are STOKED about is a great way not to let stress happen or get to you!

NLC Productions

 

I made wedding dress appointments!

Unfortunately, I made said appointments the weekend after Thanksgiving! Not my smartest move, but, hey, it was the only time my sister/maid of honor was in town so it had to be done. I am SO excited to try on dresses! Another thing I obsess over regularly is wedding fashion. While I adore the recent trend of non-white dresses, I myself am a white-dress type of bride and have dreamed of that dress my whole life! I'll be doing my shopping in San Francisco, and almost all of those dress shops require appointments. If you are limited on weekends like me, make those appointments early! I made mine about a month and a half beforehand so we have a great schedule allowing time for lunch, travel, etc. When searching for the right shops to go to, I simply Googled my favorite bridal designers and looked at their "locations" pages to find stores near me. Don't know what designers you like? Pinterest is your best friend. Start with a certain style, and when you see one you like, check out their website to see if you like more in the collection. It's also important to establish your budget before your appointments so you don't fall in love with something you simply cannot afford. Talk about heartbreak :(

 

What else? I have booked a couple other vendors and made some inquiries (musicians, hotel room blocks, babysitter, cake). We've got about 7 months to go, so I want to get as much done now as I can and hammer out those details in the months to come. I would definitely rather be stressed out now than a month before the wedding! We also chose a date for my bachelorette party and bridal shower which are going to be so AWESOME! This journey has just begun and I am loving every minute of it!

Location Location Location!

Location is everything when it comes to a wedding, and so many factors come into play. Not only are a beautiful view and a nice setting high on the priority list when selecting a venue, you also have to think about how many people it can accommodate, how accessible it is by car or shuttle, what the parking situation is like, if there are kitchens/bathrooms onsite, and more... Lots (too much!) to think about!

To save the headache, I thought I would highlight just a few of my favorite venues in the Bay Area. Places I found were easy enough to work at, and really impressed guests aesthetically.

Cavallo Point is one cool place. It was an old military post in Sausalito, but has now become a hospitality hot spot. It is a really dynamic venue, with a hotel, restaurant, and multiple separate indoor and outdoor areas where a ceremony or reception could be held. A wedding I did there utilized a beautiful, shaded grass area for the reception, a quaint outdoor courtyard area with a live pianist for the cocktail reception, and an elegant indoor area with bathrooms and a kitchen for the dinner reception. The weather is always fabulous on this side of the bay and provides really great views of San Francisco. It's hard to beat!

Cavallo Point

Image from I Do Venues

The Bently Reserve is a great venue in the heart of San Francisco's Financial District. Nothing feels more city for your guests than to be in this area. The building itself is regal (huge!) with gorgeous pillars and high ceilings. It has a classic, clean style. The first floor has one, large event room, plus multiple other good sized rooms that I haven't personally used. It's so big, in fact, that I did a wedding there once where the ceremony was held on one half of the main room, the dance floor with a large stage for a 10-piece band was set up on the other half of the room, and large rented hedges barricaded the two sides from each other's view! It was awesome to say the least. There is also a gorgeous staircase leading to a smaller second story where I have seen cocktail hours be done as the ceremony space gets flipped for dinner tables. Accessing this area is easy as there a numerous high-end hotels in the area-- major bonus!

Bently Reserve

Image from Gustavo Fernandez

The Rengstorff House is a true gem in the peninsula, located in Mountain View! It's an old house, right on the water of an outlet of the Bay, and a really cool space for a wedding. The house itself is accessible to walk through and view its historic-ness. It also has a great front lawn area; we used this space as the cocktail reception area and set up a guest book table and bar. It was a great, shaded grass area on one side of the house as well where the ceremony was held. It has great tree branches overhanding the grass that we hung adorable Chinese lanterns from, and a desk with steps leading directly into the house makes for the perfect processional. The other side of the house is an open dirt and gravel space where we set up the dinner tables and dance floor. The back has a cute lighthouse-like structure, and had ample room to make a kitchen. It literally has it all!

Rengstorff House

Image from I Do Venues

One amazing thing about the Bay Area is the complete and utter variety of venues it has to offer a couple. From wineries to historic landmarks, classy hotels to barns, we definitely are not short on spaces to hold an amazing wedding.

All of the Lights

Lighting is one of my favorite aspects of a wedding. It totally sets the mood once the sun goes down, and can add a huge amount aesthetically while it is still sunny out as well. Lighting is crucial for photography and can make a somewhat plain space really sparkle!

 

It's all about finding the right type of lighting for your venue. Candles are inexpensive, romantic, and classic, but many venues ban open flames of any sort. Not to worry! There are so many electric and battery options out there that I don't think people realize. Simply browsing on Pinterest reveals the vast amount of options to match the vibe of your wedding. Your rental company should have a lot of these in stock, and if not try your florist/designer.

 

Photo: Claire Morgan                                         Photo: People Producciones             

 

I love this shot. See how much some simple string lights can make a difference? They add a glowing wall behind this lounge area, and so much dimension reflecting off the pool. Such an impact, and inexpensive! I found endless choices of string lights at Target, and these are obviously something you can keep for Christmases to come (or just rent from your rental company!). String lights are also my favorite when strung over the reception area, above all the tables and people, at an outdoor venue. It adds dimension and a "ceiling" of sorts that gives a special vibe once darkness hits.

 

       Photo: Raquel Reis                      The Hanging Lantern Company

 

I love lanterns! With a majority of weddings around the world happening during summertime, sometimes the sun does not go down until late. Lanterns are so awesome because they can act as a really fun and festive decoration before they are needed as lights (or just as decoration, no lights!). Again, these add dimension at varying heights, playfulness, and enchantment. And when they are lit up? Glowing orbs of fun overhead :)

 

Photo: Gustavo Fernandez

 

Uplights are everything. Above is a photo from an event my old company put on at the Bently Reserve in San Francisco. I believe this building used to be an old financial building, but is now used exclusively for events. The inside is all a light grey stone, and while beautiful, totally lacks in any color. You can see how use of uplights on the side pillars totally transform this space. The ability to use any colors you want can really lead to endless possibilities. Uplights can simply give shape and color to a space, can highlight certain aspects of a space (trees, wreaths, an entrance), and can be used for dramatic purposes during a grand entrance or first dance. Even better? They are easy to install, inexpensive, and can come in any color you like.

 

 Photo: Sylvie Gil Photography                  Photo: Sarah Kate                  

 

 

This brings me to my very favorite form of wedding lighting: chandeliers! Chandeliers are the ultimate in elegant, classy, upscale lighting. They add romanticism to any indoor or outdoor space and just make everything feel fancy! Chandeliers do not always have to be crystals; they can be rustic, modern, and aerie. These don't come cheap, but are especially useful in an outdoor location where you want something elegant over your guest tables.

 

I really encourage my brides to explore their lighting options to add some noticeable extra flare and magic to their special celebration!



Four Habits of Highly Successful Weddings

In its essence, a wedding is the culmination of approximately 823940 factors, all coming together to create one really fabulous celebration. What are the makings of a great wedding, you ask? Here are some starting points, in no particular order:

1. Great Things to Look At
Nothing will make your guests' jaws drop more than beautiful sight to see. Beautiful flowers and special décor can go a long way. Everyone can appreciate a beautiful flower to look at, or a gorgeous wreath to adorn an, otherwise, plain space. Any additions to your space that are visually pleasing will keep your guests entertained, talking, and snapping photos. A variation on this point is to hold your wedding in somewhere very scenically pleasing: a surreal beach view, a majestic mountain view, an ethereal valley, in the middle of a forest... the options are endless and best of all: all are built into the price of the venue! No need to go overboard with décor or flowers in these types of settings. I went to a gorgeous wedding on Oahu a couple weeks ago, and the view itself was enough to make it a truly beautiful wedding. The couple used almost nothing else, nor did they need it!

Photo 1: Lisa Poggi             Photo 2: Max Wanger

2. Artistic Elements to Appreciate

Adding artistic elements to your wedding details cause guests to feel they are somewhere special and deserving of such art. Moving beyond simple flower arrangements and decor, a little extra artistry goes a long way. Given that your wedding day is the most important day ever, you want your guests appreciating even the smallest bit of creativity that you put into every aspect. Calligraphy is a big one for me. Calligraphy has few opportunities in which is it appropriate. Weddings are absolutely one of them. Use of calligraphy can make a simple word feel royal, elegant, fancy, and romantic all at once. An ancient art itself, calligraphy is a fairly simple way to make a plain detail glamorous. Unique floral arrangements, too, add this element of grandeur. Large, magnificent arches, intricate petal arrangements on the ceremony aisle, and living wall backdrops are all examples of ways you can spice up your florals with an artistic flair. Finally, gourmet food is a third way your guests will appreciate the extra attention to detail at your event. High-end caterers can do some really amazing thing with hors d'oeuvres and dinner presentation. Your food selections will be sure to show up on instagram with this approach!

Photo 1: Me! (A wedding I recently attended)  Photo 2: Buzzfeed    Photo 3: Katie Stoops Photography

3. Fun Activities!

To quote one of my favorite movies (Step Brothers), "there is so much room for activities!" Let's face it: weddings can be a 6 hour long affair! You want to keep your guests interested, entertained, excited, and smiling! First and foremost, make sure you have great music and a dancing floor. Haven't all the most fun weddings you've attended included a LOT of dancing? Make sure to test out your DJ or band before hiring them. Insist on videos of live performances, and take special note of how the crowd is reacting! You'll want a DJ or band that has people on their feet and singing along. Unfortunately, not all DJs/bands are good at playing the right music in the right sequence at the right time, so it's an important thing to look for. Photobooths are also always a hit, and there are so many variations now too! From props, to flip books, to slow motion video booths, the options are endless as well as endlessly entertaining. On this note, lawn games are also a big hit and have great variety as well. Corn hole is timeless and a great item to personalize according to your wedding theme. Horseshoes is inexpensive and easy to play as guests have a drink in their hand at cocktail hour. Another perk: great way to keep the kids at bay!

Photo 1: Flip Book America                       Photo 2: Best Photography



4. Open Bar

Possibly the most important on the list, I can't stress enough the important of an open bar. As the event hosts, you spend so much time planning every detail so that your guests are happy and comfortable, so this one should not slip to the wayside. When you face the facts, no wedding guest is happy when he or she has to pull out their wallet in order to join in the celebration. This is truly an integral part of "getting the party started" and I urge you to spend the extra cash for a hosted bar.

Finding great vendors to accomplish such a feat can be overwhelming! One perk of hiring a wedding planner is getting their expertise and industry knowledge of the best of the best wedding vendors in your area. Cheers!

Wedding Guest Welcome Bags

In the past two weeks, I have had the pleasure of attending two weddings. The first was for one of my best friends from high school and her high school sweetheart. The ceremony was at a gorgeous church in our hometown, and the reception at a classy golf and country club nearby. The second wedding was for my boyfriend's cousin at an adorable hotel on the Sonoma coast. Both were beautiful, sentimental, and a long time in the making-- both couples had a ten year history together!

 

Something I loved about both was walking into my hotel room and what was the first thing I saw? A welcome bag waiting to be enjoyed by me! I love welcome bags, and it's a really fun way to get your guests excited as the festivities are just beginning. It's also a great way to show your appreciation for their time and money, traveling near and far for your big day.

 

What goes inside of your welcome bag can vary greatly. It's a fabulous opportunity to customize this small gift based on your personality and theme of your wedding. A great starting point for a welcome bag is using items that are good for a person who has been drinking, whether night or the next (painful) morning. These items will be appreciated, even if the guest is not a drinker, and can be general enough that most everyone can enjoy them. It's also a nice touch to stay within your wedding theme (ie a chocolate chip cookie for "love is sweet," Swedish Fish candies if nautical theme).

 

 

The picture above shows the items included in the first welcome bag I received. A couple of waters, some granola bars, two packs of gum, a bag of Chex Mix, and the wedding program. My boyfriend and I drank the waters before the wedding, as we anticipated we would be having mostly wine the rest of the night. I munched on the Chex Mix while getting ready, and had a granola bar before brunch the next morning (I was starving!). Most of all, I enjoyed getting a sneak peak at the wedding program. Theirs was especially sentimental, with numerous stories and sweet notes. I love that in it, they explained the meaning behind all of their guest table names for the reception. Some of the names appeared quite random, but truly had so much meaning behind them.

 

 

The second welcome bag was similar, but was equally personalized for this wedding as well. The fig bars made for a yummy late night snack, as well as the peanuts and the salt-water taffy. This wedding was a couple hours drive up a long windy road, and along the way we passed a bright pink store advertising salt-water taffy. I'm not sure if this is where the relation came from, but either way I was very happy to have a sweet treat! My favorite part of this welcome bag was the homemade Lemoncello. The groom's mother made it using lemons from the garden of the bride's family's home and work place. What a special (and yummy) touch!

 

We had such a great time with family and friends celebrating two amazing couples!

Give your Guests the Star Treatment

So it's your big day! All your friends and family have traveled and gathered to celebrate this momentous day in your life. Let's face it, how much fun would a wedding be if no one showed up to enjoy your wedding day with you?

 

It's important to show your guests you are SO happy they came and that the effort, time, and money they put in to joining you on your big day was well worth it for them. There are a lot of ways you can put in a little extra effort to show your guests you thought about them during your planning process.

 

Most wedding ceremonies incorporate some kind of ceremony program. Guests, especially relatives, really appreciate this little guide to your ceremony and wedding party because it helps them know what's going on and who you've chosen to take part in your day. It'll tell them who is who, the order of the ceremony, important passages or readings they can follow along with, and what is happening once the ceremony is over. This is also a really great time to type a note thanking your guests for coming, that you couldn't imagine this day without them, and how excited you are to share your future with them as a part of your life.

 

Photo by Laura Ivanova Photography

 

The programs pictured above double as a fan, which is another way to make guests more comfortable during a hot summer ceremony. Not only do people love cutesie, clever, practical items, but they'll really appreciate it when they are exposed to the sun for 30+ minutes. Another great way to achieve this level of comfort? Parasols. It's an adorable word for delicate, girly umbrellas that looks great and shade your guests. You can buy them for pretty cheap, or a lot of venues rent them out for the day.

 

Image from a wedding I assisted on with Soigne Productions, photo by Michael & Anna Costa Photographers Ltd.

 

Another great way to create a more comfortable environment for your guests is to add some amenities to the restroom(s) at your venue. You are not the only one who wants to look and feel great on your wedding day! Your guests want to look their best as well, and you can aide in this endeavor by throwing together a fun yet practical basket for the restrooms. Whether you are hosting your wedding in a hotel, a winery, or somewhere requiring you to bring in portable restrooms, there is always room to make the bathroom that much nicer.

 

Image from All Free DIY Weddings

 

Things to consider including: deodorant spray, floss, sunscreen, feminine products, a comb, and breath mints. People really appreciate it, and definitely notice that extra effort. You can even include a cute note for a personalized touch.

 

Finally, never send your guests home at the end of the night without a party favor. They will love it, they'll remember your night, and (hopefully) they won't throw it away! In my opinion, it's important to give your guests something they can use, not something that will add to the clutter drawer in their house. They will appreciate that you took the time to give them something thoughtful and practical. There are so many directions you can go with this, and that's what makes it fun! Try to find something that goes with your theme. Garden them? A cute little succulent (that can double as a place card!) is always a fan favorite. Aiming to go a little more DIY? Home-made, wrapped cookies can NEVER go wrong. If your wedding color is a mint green, "Mint To Be" breath mints are clever and very useful for guests young and old alike.

 

Image from a fellow blogger

 

Had to throw in one more party favor favorite of mine, "I Met My Match." I love the saying, with the names and the wedding date, and matches are something people always need, always keep, and will remind them of this special day every time they use one. You can even throw on a little "Thank you for celebrating with us!" note to show your gratitude one last time.

Wedding Budget Woes

It's no secret that a wedding can be expensive and costs add up FAST. It's a fine line between creating the wedding of your dreams while sticking to the agreed upon budget. The good news? Small tweaks in your wedding details can really make a difference.

 

First of all, it's really important to know the budget you are working with before you start planning. Be realistic with yourselves. You don't want to be broke or in debt your first year of marriage, and you don't want to pressure your parents into giving you more money than they are comfortable with. No matter what your budget, your wedding can be spectacular and special. The most important thing is that you and your fiancée are tying the knot, right? If only it were that simple...

 

Once you've got a budget, it's time to lay out your priorities. I'd create a pie chart with percentages that will equal out to monetary amounts based on how much, total, you'd like to spend. This is a great visual way to see where you want to spend the most and the least amount of money. As you book vendors and purchase items, you may need to adjust the percentages accordingly, and that's okay! You might fall in love with some invitations that cost more than you had allocated. You just need to simply cut some percentage points in another category to balance your total.

 

Your spending will increase as your guest list does. The more bodies present at your wedding, the more expensive it gets. This makes sense, right? More people means more chairs to rent, mouths to feed, wedding favors to distribute, and often times can result in in a larger cost for your wedding planner. Coordination for a wedding with 400 guests will almost always cost you more than coordination for a wedding of 150.

 

Don't go for upgrades. Folding chairs rather than Chiavari chairs (the two most commonly rented chairs) can save you a pretty penny. While Chiavari chairs have a slightly nicer appearance, it's super unlikely that your guests will care, and will not even be looked at once they are being sat on and everyone is eating, laughing, and enjoying the party.

 

 

Folding Chair vs. Chiavari Chair

Images from Classic Party Rentals

 

Another chair tip: repurpose your chairs! If the staff you have hired and your venue allow, feel free to use the same 100 chairs that your guests sat in at the ceremony and move them over to the reception dinner tables while they are at the cocktail hour. This, of course, is dependent on whether or not you have a long enough cocktail hour to make this transition happen and if the cocktail space is not in eye-sight of the ceremony/reception locations.

 

You can also use this repurposing trick for your flowers. Large floral arrangements can come out to multiple hundreds of dollars each. If you have large alter arrangements, ceremony aisle flowers, or even bridesmaids bouquets, you can repurpose all of those to become centerpieces and room décor for your reception. Your wedding planner can collect the arrangements and bridesmaid bouquets and place them into vases of water on tables after the ceremony or while they are enjoying the cocktail hour.

 

An example of flowers that were repurposed from the ceremony and used as cake table décor

Image from Bridal Guide

 

Finally, a great way to curb your spending is to go with a new kind of wedding registry. Companies like Honeyfund and Zola allow you to register for monetary amounts/experiences, rather than the traditional household item route. While you may not realize it, your honeymoon can take up some of the money you've allocated for your wedding. Since many couples today live together before getting married, they usually already have a lot of the household items that would typically go on a wedding gift registry. These websites allow couples to ask for contributions for their honeymoon plane tickets, romantic dinners, couples' massages, fun activities, etc. This let's you worry less about what you are spending on the wedding, knowing you have a fun, special, once-in-a-lifetime honeymoon to look forward to and taken care.

 

Ask your planner other ways to cut costs on areas like dinner service style, alcohol packages, digital save-the-dates and invitations, and DIY projects.

An Eco-Friendly Affair

Weddings can put a huge dent in your wallet, but also in the environment. So much goes into these important events, that the environment sometimes falls to the wayside on the list of peoples' priorities. The good news? There are SO many ways to make your wedding 'green' yet elegant. Here are a few that I love.

 

Potted plants, rather than flower arrangements, make mother earth so happy! Going this route allows you to either rent the flowers and plants for the day, or you can buy them and enjoy them in your home long after the wedding is over.

 

                 

 

 

Images from One & Only Productions' Pinterest page

 

Another way to think green with your flowers is to go for flowers that are in season locally. Many flowers need to be shipped, if they are not in season, from tropical areas. I can't tell you what kind of impact this has on the environment. Ouch!

 

Really love flower arrangements? Me too. There are a number of great companies that repurpose your wedding flowers the day after your big day by using the blooms to create new arrangements to be given to patients in healthcare facilities. I can't tell you how many (heartbreaking) times I have thrown away left-behind flowers at the end of a night (after grabbing a few for myself!). Companies like Random Acts of Flowers allow for these flowers to make someone else's day a second time!

 

How else can you make an impact? Ask your caterer not to pre-pour water glasses at your reception's dinner tables. Let's face it, your guests are there to celebrate YOU and will likely have more wine than water. So as not to waste any precious water (I'm based in California- we have no water!), leave water glasses at each place setting empty and filled only upon request. You can even have a little note card placed on your reception tables letting your guests know they can have as much water as they like-- all they need to do is ask :)

 

Invitations can be another place where you can cut back on your ecological footprint. Sending out 200  Save The Dates + invitations + envelopes + RSVP cards + RSVP envelopes, etc.? Yeah, that's a lot. Alternative? The internet is your best friend. Not only can you get and receive all these messages to your family and friends virtually (wedding website, e-vites), it's also SO much cheaper to do so than to purchase the print counterparts, and WAY easier to keep track of! Nevertheless, if you cannot part with beautiful, traditional, keepsake-worthy paper invitations, you can always print on recycled paper and ask your guests to recycle theirs as well.

 

There are so many more ways to make your wedding eco-friendly! If this is something that interests you, let me know! I'd love to share more ways to incorporate green practices into your big day.

You're engaged... Now what?

Congratulations! You've now entered one of the momentous, important, ecstatic, and stressful times of your life! So many emotions, so much in your brain, so much to plan. But where to start?

First: slow down. Take some time to enjoy this really special time in your life. Soak in the fact that you and your love have decided to do this forever. Gush with your family and friends, smile big time on this life change, and relish in all that you hope and dream will come next.

Once that's out of your system, it's time to start with a guest list. You'll need to know how many you are expecting before you can decide on a location and/or wedding date. In general, you can expect that about 2/3 of your invited guests will come to your big day. I'd start with the people you CANNOT get through this day without. This include the obvious choices, such as your immediate family, your best friend, your dear grandmother. Once that list feels pretty good, move on to those who you'd love to have there, but could still see yourself going through with it if they were not able to make it. Decide if you want to allow for plus ones, or just invite those significant other who you know are in a serious relationship. This part can get tricky, but just go with your heart... and your wallet. Keep in mind that each body you are seating, feeding, and planning for will contribute to your budget. Finally, as bad as this is to say, there are always people you don't feel you need to be at your wedding, but should be: your boss, your distant great aunt, your oldest family friends you haven't talked to in years.

Now it is time to venue search! A lot of factors go into a venue search: do you want the ceremony and reception to be at two different locations, or the same one? Outdoors? Indoors? Handicap accessible? Noise curfew? Ambiance? How many people can be accommodated? Talk these items through with your fiancé to get a good grasp on what you both are wanting out of the day. Secluded venues with amazing views might need a kitchen and bathrooms brought in which can be pricey, as well as required transportation buses for guests due to lack of parking. Winery weddings can provide those killer views as well, but may have hard liquor restrictions and are often a bit tighter on space too. Hotel weddings can act as kind of a one-stop-shop with the caterer, rentals, and sometimes a venue coordinator all provided for you; however these spaces might be lacking in outdoor space, character of the ballrooms, and limit your creative options. Once you've landed on a venue, they'll provide you with a list of some dates they are open during your desired time frame. Friday will be cheaper than Saturday almost all the time. I suggest looking up public events in the area to make sure you aren't asking your guests to travel during the most expensive/high-traffic/all-the-hotels-are-booked time of the year (unless that's what you're going for). It's also worth inquiring about events they have already booked at the space on the dates you are considering. Many venues and churches will have as many as 2 or 3 weddings in a day (at different times and/or locations of course) and you can sometimes pay extra to have an exclusive for the day. Weddings are notorious for running late, and you don't want this potentially infringing on the time you have paid for.

Once these HUGE decisions have been made, you can get down to the nitty-gritty: catering, flowers, rentals, entertainment, etc. Some peoples' minds were made for this, but some can feel totally lost in the details. You want to enjoy this time, so if doing it all yourself allows for that- GO FOR IT and save the money! But if not, a planner can greatly take away the stress that accompanies this happy time and can ensure your details are in good hands.

Happy planning!

No Hard Liquor?!

Some of my very favorite wedding settings can be found at wineries. Other than the beautiful vineyards that provide endless photo opportunities and a serene atmosphere for any ceremony or reception, many wineries have a number of other sites on their properties perfect for hosting such an occasion. Barrel rooms provide an indoor space with a dark lighting, intimate feeling. Outdoor courtyards are often full of lush greenery and character. Many wineries have unique spaces, such as caves and barns, that add a whole new dimension to a wedding and will impress your guests.

 

That being said, one large turn-off from a winery wedding is the fact that many do not have hard-liquor licenses and, therefore, cannot allow any weddings held on their premises to have anything other than beer or wine served. Quite the predicament! Even if your fiancé and yourself are not big hard liquor drinkers yourselves, many of your guests likely are (have you ever met a grandpa without a scotch in his hand?). If your dream is to get married at a winery, there are some options for cocktails that do not involve any hard liquor and are beer and wine based that will add some variety to your bar while still following the rules.

 

Black Velvet

As seen on Cosmopolitan

Indredients:

5 oz. champagne or sparkling wine

5 oz. stout beer

 

Combine all ingredients in a glass and stir.

 

 

El Ayudacal

As seen on Cosmopolitan

Ingredients:

1 bottle of Pacifico beer

1½ oz. lime juice

½ oz. agave nectar

1 lime zest

Garnish: lime wheel

 

Combine lime juice, agave nectar, and lime zest in a glass. Add beer and stir gently. Garnish with a lime wheel.

 

 

El Draque

As seen on Serious Eats

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon fresh chopped ginger

1 teaspoon sugar

6-8 mint leaves

Ice

5 oz. dry white wine

 

Muddle ginger and sugar in the bottom of a cocktail shaker. Add mint, ice, and white wine, shake well. Pour into rocks glass unstrained.

 

 

Pom-Merlot Fusion

As seen on Sutter Home

Ingredients:

4 oz. Merlot

2 oz. sparkling pomegranate-blueberry juice

Sugar rim

Lime garnish

 

Take a salad plate and add a small amount of water. Take another plate and add a thin layer of fine sugar. Dip the rim of your glass in the water, then roll the rim of the glass around in the sugar. Add ice, Merlot, sparkling pomegranate-blueberry juice. Garnish with a slice of lime.

 

 

Okay- I'm ready for a drink!

Dessert Dreams

If there is one thing I love and need in this world, it is dessert. Okay, not really... but sort of. With so many wedding dessert options out there, the choices are endless and the decision is a big one! A classic cake has been a wedding tradition forever for a reason. They are elegant, able to be personalized, provide the opportunity for a cake cutting, and are a safe bet if you're trying to please the most people at your reception.

 

But what about the less traditional options? Cake pops, doughnut bars, homemade pies, candy counters. All equally amazing in style and taste so it's hard to go wrong, but how to choose?

 

Being that I am not yet married, I have not had to tackle this hurdle. I truly don't know what I will go with, other than at least a small cake for the cake-cutting. But while making this decision, I think I would take into account my wedding theme (Rustic? Pie is an obvious choice; Circus? Cotton candy!), my budget (a large, intricate cake for 200 guests vs. jars of various types of candy for 200 guests), and what would genuinely make my self and my husband-to-be the most happy at the end of the night (don't be afraid to choose more than one dessert!).

 

My 'Dessert' board on my Pinterest page is devoted to exploring these options. Here are some of my favorite, less traditional options:

 

 

Caramel Apple Bar?! Like, you've got to be kidding me. As long as your venue approves of an open flame (should be fine if you have other hot buffet food as well), this is perfection. Great for a fall/Halloween wedding or anything apple themed.

As seen on Bridal Guide

 

 

If you haven't heard of a Croquembuche before now, your life is about to change. It's a classic French dessert and is a tower of cream puffs held together by a sugar netting. It's delicious, unique, and makes a BIG statement!

As seen on Style Me Pretty, photo by Sylvie Gil Photography

 

 

Strawberry Shortcake Skewers. Fresh, light, delicious. Need I say more?

As seen on Weddington Way

 

 

S'mores packets. This is playful and a for sure crowd pleaser. No one has bad memories of sitting around a fire pit making s'mores, and this adds a fun activity for your guests at the reception.

As seen on Style Me Pretty, photo by Marianne Wilson Photography

Bridal Shower- It's All in the Details

This past weekend I attended the bridal shower of one of my high school friends of 10+ years. She's marrying her high school sweetheart in June and I couldn't be more happy or excited for them! One of our friends through an amazing and thoughtful bridal shower. The photos below were taken with my iPhone, so please excuse the quality.

 

 

The whole party had a mint color scheme. I love how she subtly tied it in everywhere. She purchased adorable mason jar flower vessels on Etsy, and added mint candles on candle sticks for some height. I also loved the mismatched plates; it brings so much variety and playfulness to a less-than-formal affair.

 

 

We played a game where each guest brought a pair of undies for the bride (not all are pictured here). We then all guessed who brought what. It was harder than you'd think! I love that someone brought a sports bra, considering the bride is a personal trainer and nutritionist. Also, how cute is that "Ooh la la" banner? We hung the "Mrs. O'Rourke" hanger above, and the whole setup turned out really cute! She loved it.

 

 

Who doesn't love a classy signature drink dispenser? On the left we had a cucumber and lemon spa water. On the right, a vodka, strawberry, and mint drink. The bride loves vodka, and even asked the hostess beforehand to make sure there would be vodka at the party. That drink was a hit, and looked pretty too :)

 

I love when parties incorporate all the small details for an amazing theme and overall experience.

Bring on the Guest Book

I've always loved special, handwritten notes from friends and important people in my life. I display all my thank you cards and special notes at work at my desk, and save every birthday and holiday card I get in storage at home. For some reason, I can't bring myself to part with these special, personal words that people took the time to write to me!

 

The only problem with this is that, over time, this starts to take up a lot of space... especially when you consider the fact that I very rarely ever revisit these cards and notes. Kind of hoarder-ish of me, I guess.

 

Wedding guest books fall under this same category for me. Like photographs and wedding videos, guests books are another sentimental way to remember who you shared your special day with and the caring words and well-wishes they shared with you. For me personally, I would hold onto my wedding guest book forever, even if that means I only dig it up and read it on our anniversary.

 

I've become super into guest book alternatives, for the simple fact that it's a new experience for your guests, and can somehow be incorporated into your post-wedding life without being forced upon your home décor or hidden away in some trunk in your attic.

 

 

This idea really stood out to me the first time I saw it! I know growing up, we had a globe in my house. It helped with learning my geography, capitals, history, etc., and was also fun for creative reasons, picking a random place on the globe with my Dad and planning imaginary trips to far away destinations. For a wedding, having your guests sign a globe can serve multiple purposes. If you have a lot of guests who traveled to attend your wedding, they can sign where they came from (which is also a nod to them for their dedication to make it to your nuptials). If your wedding is travel themed (passport invitations, suitcase escort card display, etc.), this is another adorable way to tie in your theme and entertain your guests.

Photo by Byron Loves Fawn, as seen on Style Me Pretty

 

 

Another unique way to collect notes from your guests that you can stylishly incorporate into your home. After guests write their words on rocks and stones, you can place them (like shown) in a glass case for display on your mantle or side table. It's subtle, yet special, and something that can be with you every day as your married life grows in your home. P.S. Eco-friendly!

As seen on Babble

 

 

I thought this was such a fun and non-traditional way to involve guests in the wedding. Each card is a "puzzle piece" of the larger photo of the couple. Each guest's place setting has one of the puzzle pieces at it, along with a number on the back that corresponds with where that piece goes on the board to form the overall picture. The back will also ask guests for well-wishes. Post-wedding, the couple can read them all, then frame the completed picture and hang in their house as a really sentimental piece of art for a wall in their home.

As seen on That's Happy

New Year, New Business, New Blog!

Well... It's my first blog post for One & Only Productions. I've been wanting to have my own wedding blog for a while now, ever since the planner I worked for in Santa Barbara had me write some blog posts for her as a part of my internship a few years back. That was in the time period where I was realizing this whole "wedding thing" is what I want to do, like for real. Part of this path involves blogging, as wedding ideas and trends these days are heavily reliant on internet exposure for vision boards, exposure, and sharing!

 

While my business is growing and I accumulate a portfolio for myself and my company, I'll focus most of my posts on other things. The topic of the day: signage!

 

To me, signage is muy importante. I hate when I feel that guests don't know what to "do" next. My ideal wedding flows effortlessly, with organic movement from one space of the venue to another. While staff can play a great role in this (wedding coordinator pointing guests to where they should go next, catering staff waiting in the next destination with passed hors d'oeuvres in hand), signage place a huge role in this. Signs are also cheaper than hiring staff, and can be yet another avenue to add flare, design, and theme to your wedding and venue. Have you ever been at a wedding or event and wondered, "Will there be dinner later, or are these appetizers all I'm getting," "Where the heck is the bathroom," or "I need a drink... WHERE can I get a drink..."? The more little spots you can tie in with your theme, the more your guests will say to themselves "Wow, she thought of EVERYTHING!" That, my friends, is my goal.

 

Here are some signage ideas I love, pulled directly from my Pinterest page.

 

 

I love this idea. The use of symbols, rather than words, is playful and super easy to understand.

Photo by Alison Conklin Photography

 

 

This is another great way to subtly let your guests know what's going on. These signs not only add to he design of this wedding, with their exlectic, rustic feel. They also provide a schedule for the wedding night, letting everyone know what time they can expect everything to happen. The less confusion your guests feel, the better time they will inevitably have!

Photo by Gina Cristine Photography

 

 

All too often, guests approach the guest book table and just...don't get it. People are veering away from the traditional "Guest Book" and are opting for more unique, updated versions of this popular practice to send and receive well wishes. Adding a simple sign, like this, alleviates any confusion and can beautiful any boring guest book table or presentation.

Photo from etablirshop.com