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.