Simply Social Event Design

We've Moved...

2010-10-15T15:39:00.000-07:00

Hello my blogging friends! Well... we have some news!!! Due to some unforeseen circumstances, we have had to make some changes! It came to our attention about a month ago that the name "Simply Social" has previously been trademarked by someone else in the Dallas area. The news came as quite a shock! After spending so much time in the BIG D, you would think I would have already heard this name, but no... We received notification that our only option was to re brand. WHAT? Re brand? But, Simply Social was our baby... It's where it all began...

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With an incredibly heavy heart, I went to discuss this news with those that mattered most to me. My parents, my fiance, my sister, my great friends... and, of course, my Grandmother! After all, she is what being an inspirational and visionary leader is all about. She is 86 years old, runs a multi-million dollar business AND still comes to work EVERY DAY! I mean, it doesn't get much more inspirational than that. So, we talked! And... in TRUE "grandmother" fashion, she said, "Oh, Sugar! What are you gonna do now sweetheart?" And, there... It all began again!

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So... It only seems appropriate that going forward, in honor of the three INCREDIBLE women (my Grandmother, my Mother and my soon to be Mother in Law) in my life that have taught me leadership, perseverance and passion, we will be moving forward as:

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"Oh, Sugar! Event Design + Paperie"

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And... we do so with a new drive, a new and truly inspired passion to be leaders and to be different and to truly go above and beyond to make each and every one of our clients sooooo incredibly happy! We are very excited about this change and look forward to the many many exciting journey's that are ahead of us! As Grandmother Walden always tells us..."Sugar, these things always happen for a reason! God has a plan for you and it's your job now to press on with a BIG SMILE and make the best of HE has blessed you with!" And... that is what we are going to do! And we hope you all will continue to join us on this journey! We have already created a NEW BLOG and will continue to post great ideas, great inspirations and great work. We are also currently in the process of building our NEW WEBSITE! So, please visit our new blog and share it with your friends... There is nothing but great things on the horizon for us... And, we are so excited for you all to join us. Here's to new things, new horizons and new possibilities! "Oh, Sugar! It's gonna be a great!!!"

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So, stop on in and visit us. We can't wait to hear from you and look forward to FABULOUS EVENTS and INCREDIBLE MEMORIES! Our NEW BLOG is:

http://www.ohsugarevents.blogspot.com/

The Perfect Pair - Couture Love Birds!!!

2010-08-26T13:56:00.000-07:00

So... today I was on the hunt for the PERFECT cake topper! I have blogged about others but specifically today was looking for Love Birds... Couture Love Birds to be specific! And by some miracle, I came across Anne Wood. Ann lives in Brooklyn, New York and creates the sweetest little treasures I have seen in a long time! She works with mostly found, and salvaged materials, many of them vintage or antique garments. There is a kind of affection and tenderness in the re-use and re-purposing of things that were once personal and perhaps treasured possessions.

Much of her inspiration comes from these materials as well as from many of the ideas she has been infatuated with her whole life : smallness, intricacies, miniaturization, collections, repetition; lost or abandoned things discovered and rescued; the idea of haunted and enchanted places, things and creatures; the setting of a tiny stage.

I have been looking for something in an "antique cake topper" for my own wedding and have been asked numerous times where to find them. The truth is, they are kind of hard to find. Let me clarify... GOOD ONES are hard to find! There are tons of them on ebay but the quality is less than par. The figures don't even look real in most cases. But, I will continue to look and pray that I come across a place to find them someday... But, in the meantime, I have found a solution that is sure to impress even the most imaginative bride!

I wanted something DIFFERENT and I love that Ann uses re-purposed items and vintage fabrics to adorn the birds... They are just so dainty and pretty... Don't you think??? They encompass old Hollywood, antique, vintage, fashion forward and so many other looks...

I LOVE THEM!!!

This pair is my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE! Their names are Anna and Lars and they truly are THE PERFECT PAIR!!!

This one is Sylvia the Ballerina. I personally think she would make a PRECIOUS bride too! She just needs a boy to go with her! I LOVE her crown!!! She also would be precious on top of a little girls birthday cake!!! A pale pink tiered cake with this little angel on top! SOOOO SWEET!!!

Here are some of her other birds... They are just too cute!!! You could use any of these for your cake topper! Just choose the colors you want...

How about these little precious darlings.... SOOO CUTE!!!

My other idea was to place them in a paper mache sail boat. Anne makes these too!! They are incredible! So, put the love birds in the sail boat and have Anne make you either a flag or a sail that reads, "Our Ship Has Come In..."

LOVE IT!!!! LOVE IT!!!! LOVE IT!!!!

See.... Isn't it cute!!! I LOVE IT!!!

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Just consider these as an alternative to the ever so popular Monogram, floral arrangement or couple placed on top of your cake... You will surprise your guests and leave them talking about the precious love birds that were on top of your cake... Don't be surprised if you see them on mine! I can't stop thinking about them!!!

Until next time...

Design your own COUTURE Shoes...

2010-08-19T11:12:00.000-07:00

Ok... So, in my research today I came across SUCH a cute idea that I just had to share it with you... I have to give full credit to Green Wedding Shoes for the idea but it was just too cute not to share. DIY Couture Shoes... Why haven't I tried this before... I am such a HUGE shoe lover and especially love it when shoes are adorned with bows or ribbon. So, to me, this is GENIUS!!!

I am going to do this to my shoes for the fall! How cute would this be with jeans or a precious little dress with a cardigan! I am in!!!

Also, if you are looking for a cute way to dress up your boring white or ivory wedding shoes, use this! This could act as your "Something Blue..." Or even just add a pop of color. If your dress is long, no one will really even see it. You could just have your photographer snap a couple of cute pics of them and it can be your little show off secret under your dress... Make it representative of you! Mine would DEFINITELY be PINK PINK PINK!!! Try yellow, green, red, or a great printed fabric if you are soooooo bold...

Like I said, this is just a really cute idea to bring your shoes that are lifeless to a FABULOUS FLIRTY new life...

Are you a DIY Queen???? Ready and willing to "Do It Yourself" for that extra little pizazz!!! Well... if so, today I’m sharing how you can make your own couture wedding shoes – and the best part is they are really easy to make! You will need some comfortable shoes to start You will also need some nylon fishing line and some silk chiffon fabric in the color and/or pattern of your choice! Make sure you buy at least a yard so you have extra... If you really feeling SPICY, take the extra fabric and hem the edges for a simply precious couture scarf to accent your precious shoes!!!

Simply cut two pieces of fabric. 15″ x 13″ in length.

Then, fold the fabric in an accordion style with the 15″ length longest.

Take the fabric and tie a lose knot around the front of the shoe.

This is why it’s important to use a shoe the has a narrow middle part in the front.

Next, cut four pieces of fishing line about 30″ long. Then push one side in so there is a nice small bump and wrap the fishing line around where my fingers are below. Tie in a knot on the underside so you won’t see it. Wrap the fishing line around again and knot again.

Do that again so you have two small sections on each side.

And then repeat on the other side.

Once you have the first shoe done, go ahead and repeat on your second shoe.

Once you have your shoes done, trim the ends so they match each other in length.

And there you go!!!

Pretty shoes for your wedding day – easy to create and if you get tired of them, you can easily take off the fabric and use a different fabric! Aren't they PRECIOUS??? I just LOVE THEM! Plus, pretty feet are HAPPY FEET!!!

Until next time...

Love is in the air...

2010-07-29T12:26:00.000-07:00

So... this past weekend, I spent a GREAT deal of time designing our "Save the Dates." It was A LOT of work but they turned out FANTASTIC! Once I have sent them and my guests have received the, I will post pictures of them. I think you all will LOVE them!

But, in the meantime, in my research, I came across the cutest idea for a Save the Date!!! Are you a modern / whimsical couple that loves the simple things? Consider this theme for your upcoming nuptials... "Love is in the Air"

These "Save the Dates" I found are just too much fun!!! They set the mood for an INCREDIBLY FUN event!!! FOR SURE...

Take a look...

Until next time...

SoleMates... OMG!!! They are AWESOME!!!

2010-07-29T12:09:00.000-07:00

Sooooo... last week I was thumbing through the most recent issue of an Australian Wedding Magazine that I subscribe to and they had an ad for "SoleMates." Maybe one of the greatest inventions EVER!!! Don’t you just hate it when you get all pretty for an event and slip on your cutest pair of heels only to arrive to an event where you have to walk in the grass... YIKES!!! Your GORGEOUS heels sink into the grass? Or get stuck in a grate? Scraped up on cobblestones? Well... let me just tell you... SoleMates are here to SAVE THE DAY!!!

These handy little rubber guards slip over the tip of your heel and distribute the weight better giving you more sure footing. They really do work!!! It's amazing!!! They are sold in pairs and available in clear and black. Also, if you order them in bulk, you get a discount. Why not order a large quantity and put them in a cute little glass container on your sign-in table at your wedding... Your guests would think you are THE COOLEST bride EVER! I am totally ordering these for my wedding as the ceremony requires some grass walking and also some cobblestone walking! I LOVE THEM!!!

SoleMates are the must have accessory for any bride getting married outside - and don't forget your bridesmaids! Wear the SoleMates High Heeler® on grass, cobblestones, grates, and more...

No more discomfort, no more damage. The SoleMates High Heeler will revolutionize your high heel wearing experience! Discreet and easy to use, the SoleMates High Heeler attaches easily to most stiletto and kitten heels. By increasing the surface area on the base of the heel, it reduces the pressure on this area and prevents the heel from sinking into grass or falling into cracks!The patented design of the SoleMates High Heeler is mechanically engineered to fit snugly on most heels and yet the flexible material grips securely without damaging the heel or compromising the aesthetics of the shoe.

Until next time...

Ballerina Bride - SOOO PRETTY!

2010-07-21T13:14:00.000-07:00

Ballerina Bride from Cloud Nine Creative on Vimeo.

Ok, so yesterday in my daily reading of my FAVORITE blogs, I came across this video... It is FABULOUS behind the scenes moments of the WedLuxe magazine photo shoot "Ballerina Bride." It is absolutely precious! Cloud Nine creative, the publishers of WedLuxe magazine filmed it and the video features Heather Ogden, a principle dancer with the National Ballet of Canada. The video also features one of Stephanie James Couture's precious tea length dresses... It appears around the 1:44 mark.

Anyways, I just thought this was ENTIRELY too cute not to share! I am seriously considering a tea length dress for the wedding and the video just made me smile! Plus, the bride is ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS!!!

Until next time...

We are back and have BIG NEWS!!!!

2010-07-02T00:39:00.000-07:00

Well... what can I say... It has been ENTIRELY TOO LONG but we are BACK!

And... we have lots to share!!!

Joe and I got ENGAGED!!! WHOO HOO!!! We celebrated our one year anniversary yesterday so I thought it only appropriate to start blogging again and to share this really exciting news with all of you! I appreciate your patience in my absence... We have had sooo much going on but we are so excited to be back and have so many great ideas to share with all of you! I thought that today though I would dedicate this post to my precious fiance! He deserves it after all! He orchestrated the most romantic, thoughtful and sweet proposal and I want to make sure he knows just how special it was to me!

Now... Being that I am a wedding planner, I have to give Joe A LOT of credit! I am sure when he began putting all of this together he felt he was hiking Everest! The poor guy had to propose to a wedding planner and might I add someone who is probably THE BIGGEST hopeless romantic there is. I am! I totally believe in fairy tales and love nothing more than romance. And, I have seen it all! I have heard so many great engagement stories and often thought how is this poor guy going to pull this off! But, let me tell you... HE DID!!!

So.... Here it is...

Joe told me that we would be doing something special that Saturday night and that I needed to be ready at 6:30 PM for a romantic evening... So, we ran some errands together that day and I was totally exhausted from a long week so I told Joe I wanted to rest a little before we went out. For those of you that know me... I don't rest! I am always doing something! Well, he was completely annoyed by this! He had a million things to do to prepare for the proposal and now I was going to be in the way at home "resting!" So, he left and went about his "errands." I was ready at about 6:15 PM for our night out but Joe still hadn't come home. I called to see where he was and he said he was over at his sister's helping unload groceries and then was going to run to the market and would be home soon. I was sooo annoyed! So, about 5 minutes later, he called back and asked me to go check the date on the milk in the refrigerator to see if we needed any. My response: "Joe, milk costs $2.00, just get some and get home - SERIOUSLY!" His response: "No, go check in the refrigerator. I don't want to get it if we don't need it." UGH!!!! So, I went to check and there was NO MILK! But, there was a pink rose and a card. He told me to read the card right then. It was a beautiful card that he had made that had lyrics to a song on it... And then a super sweet note telling me that it was going to be a very romantic evening and that he was sending me on a treasure hunt to find him. On this hunt, I would be visiting some of our "firsts." Our first date, the first place he told a group of family and friends that he loved me and our first New Years...

So, I got in the car and headed to the restaurant where we had our "First Date." The restaurant was Tarbells and Harry the bartender met me at the bar with another rose and another note! That note also had song lyrics to "I've Had The Time of my Life." We sang it Karaoke at Julie and Rich's Christmas Party at 5th and Wine and at the end of the song, Joe went into this big speech about how he has had the time of his life with me and that he loved me more than anything... The crowd loved it! So, I drove myself to 5th and Wine and when I walked in Julie and Rich (Joe's Sister and Brother in Law) and his parents were waiting there for me. They were soooo sweet! Joe's father gave me the next note and his mother gave me a pink rose. That note also had song lyrics and instructions to go to the place we went for New Years and made promises about our future together! So, I drove to Sophie's Bistro. There, I was met with the last note and another pink rose. That note also had song lyrics and instructed me to go to the Royal Palms and to come to our special garden to meet Joe. So, I headed to the Royal Palms.

Joe had setup rose petals and candles EVERYWHERE! There were also musicians and a photographer there to capture all of it! He was standing in the center of the garden holding a vintage jewelry box waiting for me!

It was all sooooo pretty and so romantic!!!

He also had arranged for us to have dinner in the garden after he proposed! The whole thing was just so incredibly romantic! This was the table and the floral arrangement he arranged all by himself!!

He met me there and had the most beautiful things to say to me... He told me how much he loved me and could not wait to spend his life with me...

I tried really hard not to cry but as you can see in this picture it didn't work!!!

Then... He got down on his knee and asked me to share my life with him and be his wife... Of course, I said YES!!!

He then put the ring on my finger and it is FABULOUS! We had visited an antique store that Joe used to volunteer for while he attended Law School in La Jolla, CA called Ark Antiques and came across this GORGEOUS antique ring! It was INCREDIBLE. We weren't really looking for rings at that point but Joe noticed it and we both just loved it. It was made in 1890 and was in its original setting. It was an old mine cut diamond set in yellow gold and had 22 small diamonds set in the antique filigree setting. We totally fell in love with it but of course, I had to play it SUPER COOL and not show too much excitement as I didn't want to scare Joe. Well, I guess he thought it was perfect because he called the antique store the day we got home and bought it. He put it away and kept it a secret for several months... CRAZY!!! That night, when he gave it to me, I was soooo incredibly excited! I love the story behind it and I love that it is so different and special! It is truly one of a kind... PS. For those of you looking for a ring, consider antique stores! They have BEAUTIFUL RINGS and I am sure you will be able to find something SURE TO IMPRESS! Don't worry... I will dedicate a post specifically to this subject soon and will share some excellent stores both locally and nationally that have an incredible selection!

So... we are engaged! Joe and I are getting married!!! I could not be happier!!!

It was a beautiful evening and I owe it all to my fiance! He outdid himself!!!

We are planning a wedding for late February 2011... It will be an intimate affair with our closest family and friends and we cannot wait!!!

It has been a whirlwind since the engagement but we are having a great time planning the wedding! I am going to try really hard not to just post about our wedding and to still stay true to sharing great ideas and my work with you but just bear with me... I am incredibly excited!!!

I have been doing LOTS of research so luckily I have a TON of stuff to share with all of you and have several weddings in the next 6 months so I will also be sharing that with you too! So, stick with us! This is going to be a lot of fun and it feels SOOOO GOOD to be back! I missed all of you bunches! I look forward to hearing from all of you...

Until next time...

A Pretty Way to Heat a Party... FINALLY!!!

2010-04-19T14:36:00.001-07:00

HELLO FRIENDS!!!! WOW! That was a SERIOUS hiatus! I am soooo sorry! I dove into a project three weeks ago that was probably (ok... not probably...) TOTALLY more than I could handle. I ended up having to completely train myself in something that was WWWAAAAYYYY beyond what I thought I was capable of! But, the good news is the final product was INCREDIBLE! Thank you for your patience... I really mean it!

For years, I have been trying to come up with some sort of way to "disguise" ugly, eye sore, industrial and completely impersonal and un-pretty heaters... I always need them at events and they are just BAD!!! I mean BAD! Lots of rental companies have come up with ways to wrap them with linens to hide the terrible sight of them but I know its all still there!

Until today... I was meeting with a client and she told me that she attended an event in Oxnard, CA this past weekend and saw the COOLEST heaters she'd ever seen! She, of course, took pictures and pulled out her digital camera to share with me! OHHHHH THE WORLD IS SAVED!!! Today, I share with you....

The Kindle Glow

YAY!! YAY!!! YAY!!!! YAY!!!!!

Isn't it sooo pretty!!! The Kindle Glow makes such a strong first impression -- modern, playful, irreverent -- you almost need to ask twice: That's a space heater? Yes, it is.

David Tannenbaum, managing director of L.A.-based Kindle Living, says the idea originated from party rental customers, including brides who wanted to keep guests warm but hated the industrial look of typical heaters. Now, as more yards are being turned into round-the-clock outdoor living spaces, the company sees a market for outdoor heaters with the visual appeal of indoor furnishings.

Kindle's composite shell can stand up to high temperatures, and the shade "canopies" heat better than traditional heaters, Tannenbaum says. The piece recently won a Good Design Award from the Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design. Not only do Kindle’s provide heat, but some models also serve as as a lamp too! It is available in several colors for purchase and in black and white for rental.

At this point, I don't think they are available from many rental companies. Classic Party Rentals has them available in their California territories but just wait...

I am sure they will be available everywhere soon.

Don't you love it??? I am trying to get more info on these from the manufacturer so stay tuned... I just think they are so fun and finally such a breath of fresh air - or a beautiful way to stay warm! WHOO HOO!!! Thank you Kindle Glow....

Until next time...

Carolina Herrera - Spring Preview - Artfully Masterful

2010-04-07T09:38:00.000-07:00

Have you missed us??? I am soooooo sorry my fellow bloggers! I am working on a last minute project for a wedding in South Carolina right now and it is just absorbing all of my time! It's going to be great and I cannot wait to share it with you next week but WOW! I hope I can make it up to you with a FANTASTIC post and the info I found to share with you today MIGHT JUST DO THAT! I am going to share with you the LATEST AND GREATEST from the one, the only... Carolina Herrera! Let me tell you... It's pretty incredible!

Herrera’s Spring 2010 bridal collection pays homage to some of the world’s most inspiring artists. Inspirations from Vincent Van Gogh, Monet, Matisse, Degas and Goya are just a few artists who are all evident in this fashion-forward bridal collection that debuted at Tiffany & Co.’s 5th Avenue location in New York City.

The collection’s meticulous detailing was quite apparent with Van Gogh’s sunflowers shown in taffeta ruffles, Monet’s water lilies hand painted onto English tulle, and Matisse’s paper cutouts transformed into duchess satin leaves. Striped grosgrain ribbon detailing, gold straw hats and cathedral veils all added to the nostalgic styling of the collection. From bustles to corsets all accessorized with Tiffany & Co. diamond rings and jewelry, the Carolina Herrera Spring 2010 bridal gown collection exemplifies the meaning of couture.

Take a look...

The dresses? Inspired by the greatest artists, who in their own work have displayed elements of fashion, Carolina Herrera blew our bridal minds out of the water! Here are five of my favorites, attached to work from the artists said to have inspired the collection.

Dress #1: A Vincent van Gogh inspired floral jacquard dress with ruffle applique’. This is SUPER interesting. I bet it is GORGEOUS in person...

Dress #2: This Monet inspired strapless tulle ball gown incorporates hand-painted water lilies. ISN'T THIS GORGEOUS??? It's SUPER subtle but just really pretty. It reminds me a little of the dress that Rachel McAdams wore to the Oscars... but more descrete!!

Dress #3: Every ballerina knows the work of Degas…but Carolina took his work to a whole new level. This ribbon strapped, tulle point d’esprit dress is breathtaking. I LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS! I would do a different colored sash but this really is just sooo pretty! One thing you have to know about Carolina is that she ALWAYS has a gown with polka dots... Of course, if you know me, I love this! One of her infamous polka dot dresses was featured in Martha Stewart weddings in 2007 and people were obsessed with it. The unfortunate thing was though that once the magazine was finally published and printed, the dress was no longer available and had been replaced with a new design that just wasn't as special... This one, however, is VERY SIMILAR! I guess Carolina listened to us... :)

Dress #4: Edouard Manet is channeled through this strapless ivory and black rose fils coupe’ gown with a blue taffeta bow. This too is gorgeous and would be stunning paired with a BIG fuschia pink bouquet! And... maybe some precious pink peep toe slingbacks! WHOO HOO!!!

Dress#5: Last, but not least, this was the absolute show-stopper! This ivory off-the-shoulder gown, adorned with black lace applique’ and a small coral bow (inspired by Diego Velasquez) is perfect for the most eclectic & daring bride! I LOVE THIS!!! WOW!!! RIGHT??? It's daring but what a statement!!!

Each piece in this collection was truly magical, and I’ve never seen a more beautiful living interpretation of art... I just love the connection between the pieces. There is nothing better than when a designer channels art. It is soooo moving! Plus, how special is it that your wedding dress has a story... Something you can share with your guests along with your family for years to come... It's just so special! Until next time...

And, I PROMISE... next time will be TOMORROW! :)

Jenny Yoo - WHOO HOO!!!

2010-03-31T13:56:00.000-07:00

So, I thought I would just make it a week of FANTASTIC bridesmaids dress designers since I had so much fun on Monday checking out Lynn Lugo! Another favorite of mine is Miss Jenny Yoo! Her designs never cease to amaze me!!! I JUST LOVE THEM ALL!

A little history on Jenny...

Jenny Yoo hails from a small town outside of Philadelphia. She attended the prestigious Parsons School of Design in New York City and received her bachelors degree in Fashion Design. She is the founder and designer of Jenny Yoo Collection, Inc., a highly successful and rapidly growing company within the bridal industry.

Ok... So, I have to say that I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE this dress! I am not super sure of the color but I think the style of the dress is F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S!!!! I think it is sooo elegant and would be an absolute show stopper! Pair it with a fantastic pair of platform peep-toe pumps that match the dress and BANG! You have a TOTAL HIT!!!

This is really really pretty too! I just love how simple it is!!!

This is the dress above shown in a different color!

This is GORGEOUS! I love the sweetheart neckline! This would be soooo flattering and I can promise your bridesmaids would love it too!

This too! I love this color too! It's pink but it is sooooo soft and so feminine!

This is really great for a long dress! I even like the color! Though, I think it really washes people out!

Something about this is interesting to me too! The back is GORGEOUS! I couldn't get a picture of it but trust me! It's gorgeous!!!

Love this too for a long one! The waist features a wrap around sash and ties in a big bow in the back. It is really versatile and super cute!!!

Ok... This is soooo ELEGANT!!! I LOVE IT! I love the little lace shrug!!!

This one is GORGEOUS too!!! I love it in brown with the little lace trim and the little lace shrug!!! This is just sooo timeless!!! I LOVE IT!!!

This is really sweet too!

And this... WOW! This color is pretty loud but you could tone it down. The style is BEAUTIFUL!!!! I love the tied bow at the back!!!

Isn't Jenny Yoo GREAT??? It is soooo hard to find great bridesmaids gowns and she really has hit it out of the park. While parusing on her website today pulling off my favorite designs, I read her bio. She actually started as a designer for Ann Taylor! INTERESTING right??? Well Jenny... I am glad you left Ann Taylor and went out on your own because the world of "Bridesmaids Dresses" is MUCH BETTER OFF having you as a designer! WE LOVE YOU JENNY YOO!!!

For more info about Jenny Yoo and for a listing of stores where her collection is available, visit her website at:

http://www.jennyyoo.com/

Until next time....

Ringing in THE BRIDE...

2010-03-30T18:36:00.000-07:00

Today I was doing research for a wedding and was on the hunt for a ULTRA COOL idea for the bridal entrance. Something really out of the norm... Something that guests would remember and would be SUPER CUTE! I came across this and I LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!!!

As the flower girls walk down the aisle and the bride prepares to enter, the flower girls walk down the aisle and ring bells... This features the little ones ringing old cow bells... I think it would be soooo fun!!! I also think it would be fun to find a great quote about ringing bells and tie a tiny little bell to each chair and ask the guests to ring the bells when it is time for the bride to appear! It would be AMAZING! Think about it... Nearly 100 bells ringing! I LOVE IT!!! Something different that your guests wouldn't forget FOR SURE!!! Until next time...

Announcing Lynn Lugo's 2010 NEW Collection - IT'S FABULOUS!!!

2010-03-29T20:30:00.000-07:00

Today, I received word that Lynn Lugo has launched her 2010 line! Love these fashion forward styles -- the one shoulder style is extremely popular as we head into peak ordering season for Fall 2010 brides. And don't forget, any bodice style can be mixed and matched with any skirt style, so you have hundreds of style options for every bridesmaid, no matter how tall, petite or curvy! The designs are EXTREMELY fashion forward yet stay somewhat classic. None of these dresses would cause you to wish you had chosen something different when you look back at your wedding photos 20 years from now... Take a look!

Lynn is AWESOME! She offers a WIDE VARIETY of colors... I have a friend that wants COPPER for her fall wedding in AZ and she HAS NOT been able to find it. Well... Lynn has copper! It is absolutely gorgeous! Her colors are FANTASTIC!!

Wouldn't this be soooo fun for a beach wedding??? LOVE IT!!!

I think these are stunning! I love the one-shoulder look! It is sooo sexy and sooo stylish!

It really is super flattering!!!

I don't know what it is... But this long gown with the STUNNING ruffled shrug is sooooo fun to me! I don't know why but I LOVE IT! I would obviously do it in a different color but I think it is just soooo glamorous!!!

This is super cute too!!!

These are really fun and different too!

Have some fun browsing through her new collection. Her prices are pretty reasonable too! http://www.lynnlugo.com/ Let me know what you think!!! I AM EXCITED!!! Until next time...

Flower Girls - Pretty Little Princesses

2010-03-25T16:06:00.000-07:00

A Flower Girl - A Pretty Little Princess OR a "Bride in Training..." Not sure which title is more appropriate... I am working with a client who wants her Flower Girls to be dressed in something other than a white sleeveless dress with a sash that coordinates with the wedding colors...

So, I pulled some REALLY SUPER CUTE looks for her little princesses! I can tell you from many years of experience that these little darlings ACT THE BEST if they are dressed in something that is not only somewhat familiar to them, but something they like and something they are comfortable in! If they hate what they have on, they are not going to behave and a temper tantrum is ABSOLUTELY INEVITABLE!!! I PROMISE!!! Funny how this behavior starts sooooo young, right??? :) Find something fun and add great little accents! Take a look...

Isn't this little rhinestone cardigan darling??? J Crew's Crewcuts always has adorable little things like this... Check them out!

The Fairy Princess Tulle Skirt is always a hit for the "PRINCESS" flower girl... She will be sooo happy and will be twirling on the dance floor all night!

If you are dealing with a child who doesn't really prefer dresses, dress her in fabulous glittery leggings and a little tunic and pair it with glittery converse.

Wrap the shoe in coordinating ribbon... HOW PRECIOUS!!!!

For those who love to play dress up, give them Fairy Wings! What child isn't going to love this... And I can assure you, the wedding guests will be tickled pink to see them come down the aisle!

ABSOLUTELY DARLING!!!

Too Cute!!!

Dress them in all one color... Look how cute this is!!!

I just love all of these!!! But, I have to confess... As gorgeous as I think Bride's are... I think Flower Girls and Ring Bearers ALWAYS steal the show!!! Until next time...

BE JEWELED!!!

2010-03-23T16:01:00.001-07:00

I have a client that is looking for a DIY "Jeweled" box for Place Cards... She is really wanting to find a great box and put jewels on the outside and then down into the box for her guests place cards. I have seen a few things but really like this application! It is soooo pretty! I am going to try and find a white lacquered box and add rhinestones and pearls to that instead only because it will work better with what she is doing but isn't this fun...

It is going to be soooo pretty with her pearl white silk linens and her GORGEOUS place cards!

We are going to do lots of crystals on the tables too along with gorgeous white flowers and lots of candles. Did I mention there is a GIANT chandelier hanging above the place card table??? It's going to be ABSOLUTELY PERFECT!!!

Promise we will use better crystals... But at least this gives you the idea!

Until next time... BE JEWELED!!!

Antique Pots - An Investment for your FOREVER FAIRYTALE!

2010-03-22T16:38:00.000-07:00

Are you planning to have a wedding that features an Antique Flair, maybe a bit of a vintage garden look or just want something other than a glass cylinder or square shaped vase?

Maybe you should consider making an investment for your new "married life" home and use them for your wedding flowers as well... Consider it... On average, the cost for a vase for a wedding centerpiece or ceremony floral arrangement can cost from $15.00 and go all the way into the hundreds... YIKES!!! If you are going to spend that kind of money, why not spend it on something you can keep and use forever... You could use some for floral arrangements inside the house, maybe some on your front or back patio, some in your garden... You get the picture right... Find something the two of you love and invest! You will be so glad you did! Think about it... Every time you see that vase, you will be reminded of your wedding!

So... Where do you find these little gems you might be asking... Well, there are lots of places! For instance, these fabulous antique cups came from antiques dealer & garden guru Ani Antreasyan. Ani, owner of Ani Ancient Stone, is an excellent "shopper," who travels endlessly to find the "perfect" thing!!! She found these cups at an antique shop in the oldest neighborhood in Istanbul. The Uzbekistani owner, who specializes in tribal antiques, told her he had found them at a flea market in Kazakhstan. He said they had been used for festivals and ceremonies. Each cup is unique, with a different pattern etched into the metal. They make stunning small vases, and a collection of them would look wonderful down the center of a dinner table ... Aren't they GORGEOUS??? I just LOVE THEM! And I can totally visualize them in the following applications for a wedding:

1. Down the aisle filled with GORGEOUS flowers

2. Along a Stone Wall behind a ceremony site filled with flowers

3. Along a walkway to your reception location filled with flowers

4. On tables as unique and beautiful centerpieces

The options are endless... I just think they are so much fun and seriously you would have them forever! So, don't limit yourself! INVESTIGATE! Any florist would be happy to use vases that you give to them for your floral arrangements! Until next time... Happy Antiquing...

Decanters... Make your Beverages BEAUTIFUL!!!

2010-03-18T16:11:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I met with a client who I am working with on a Rehearsal Dinner and we are doing a REALLY GREAT beverage station. Ironically, we BOTH have these FANTASTIC decanters. We had never even discussed them and she mentioned she wanted to use hers yesterday. It was sooo funny! She has two and I have 5! WHOO HOO! We are set! So, I thought I would share with you all the "Collection" of decanters I have collected over the years! I use them ALL THE TIME! They are soooo great! They are a fantastic investment and are really affordably priced! I have built my collection from ZGallerie but am always looking for new ones... I just thik they are so much fun!

This one is my favorite! It is pretty big and soooo beautiful full of fresh fruit!!!

This is a new one!!! SOOOO MUCH FUN! I would do this with infused vodka! If you know you are having an event, make this a month in advance with pineapple, blueberries and raspberries... IT WILL BE THE TALK OF THE PARTY!

This would be fantastic for wine!!!

This is a new one too! Pretty cool!!!

See... the smallest little touches make such a statement!!!

Tonight, I am meeting with a new bride and I have to say... I AM SOOOOO EXCITED! She is just the cutest!!! I have soooo many fun ideas to share with her and I know she is going to love them! Her wedding is in October. So, I am off! It's a night of "Wine and Wedding Talk..." Is there really ANYTHING BETTER??? :) Until next time...

A St. Patrick's Day Wedding

2010-03-17T15:48:00.000-07:00

On this St. Patrick's Day, I share an Irish Wedding Blessing.
"Friends and relatives so fond and dear tis our greatest pleasure to have you here when many years this day has passed our fondest memories will always last. So we drink a cup of irish mead and ask God's blessing in our hour of need."
~

Of course, it would only be appropriate to showcase some ideas for a St. Patrick's Day themed wedding today! So, here we go...

Of course... The men HAVE to wear kilts! It's just too much fun!

And you have to find a great green wedding invitation...

And you MUST carry a bouquet that includes Shamrocks and is adorned with a green ribbon...

And the bride has to wear FABULOUS green shoes....

And the bridesmaids have to walk down the aisle in a fantastic green gown....

And the groom and his groomsmen have to be suited in green vests and ties!

And the reception location has to have TONS of green!!! I love these paper flowers...

And the guests have to go home with green macaroons!

And there HAS to be a bagpiper present!!!

And... of course... Last but not least... The wedding has to take place at an AMAZINGLY GORGEOUS castle in Ireland... I mean, why not??? A girl can dream right... Until next time...

On this St. Patrick's Day...

May your life be long,

May your heart be true

May your path be clear

and may your skies be blue

May your soul be happy

and your spirit light

May you know deep joy

May your dreams take flight!

Rose Petals dripping in Crystals...

2010-03-16T17:35:00.000-07:00

For weeks now, I have been agonizing over trying to come up with something really FANTASTIC for a wedding I am working on. They have a HUGE tree that they are going to be married in front of and want to adorn the tree with something beautiful. Of course, they could use lanterns or crystals but I really wanted to come up with something DIFFERENT!

Well... Today, I FOUND IT!

~
Rose Petals strung that are literally dripping with crystals! Isn't this soooo cool? And let me just tell you... This is INCREDIBLY affordable! This is something that could be DIY! YES!!! Even you could do this... I know all of you have strung popcorn for a Christmas tree or done something similar to this... I just think this is soooooo cool! And you could use any color roses are available in. And people, of course, will be sitting there taking in EVERY WORD of your beautiful wedding ceremony but I can PROMISE YOU, they will be wondering what it is that is hung from the tree... I would probably make them a little longer but either way they are GORGEOUS!

What do you think???

Of course I would probably hang crystal strands too...

I would alternate the lengths for sure!!!

Just soooooooo elegant!!!

So, what do you think??? If you paired this with a heavy layer of matching rose petals down the aisle, I really do think this would be jaw-dropping! Who doesn't love anything dripping in crystals? It's just gorgeous! Success! YAY!!! I am so glad she LOVED IT! She was so excited that she was going to have something at her wedding she'd never seen before!

Until next time...

Who doesn't love a PINK CHAIR!!!

2010-03-15T16:28:00.001-07:00

Happy Monday to YOU! It is an ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL day in Phoenix!!! The high today was 76 degrees! Doesn't get any prettier than that! So, when I saw these ADORABLE new chairs from on of my favorite rental companies - Signature Events - I knew I had to share them with you! Aren't they precious??? This is their fantastic white table too! And see that white tufted sofa in the back corner, yep!! Theirs too! They SERIOUSLY have the best rental furniture! It's pretty pricey but worth EVERY PENNY!!! Take a look...

This is just soooo much fun! I love it! It would be great for a wedding if you are brave but EVEN BETTER for a BEAUTIFUL bridal shower!

Soooo fun!!!

Paired with matching pink chargers and gold flatware!

Isn't it precious with the turquoise and pink china... I LOVE IT!!! Modern yet traditional!! Probably my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE mix!

Happy Monday everyone!!! Let's have a fantastic week!!! Until next time...

"How Sweet it is..."

2010-03-12T12:33:00.000-08:00

Ok... It's a fact! I have fallen head over heels for Cocopotamus! Check out these amazing chocolates and truffles... They are absolutely BEAUTIFUL!!!

Aren't they precious... I think they are absolutely GORGEOUS! They come in tons of different flavors and have HILARIOUS names... Check them out! http://www.cocopotamus.com/

I would probably order them in bulk and package them myself for wedding favors. Their packaging is pretty generic and plain! Not really appropriate for a wedding... But, if you got some great boxes, they would make the perfect favors... And if you really wanted to do something special, you could package them in cute little boxes and have them delivered as a turn down amenity the night of the wedding with a precious little note... Maybe the note could read:

"You know you have fallen in love when you can't fall asleep

because reality is finally better than your dreams..."

~ Dr. Seuss

"So, fall asleep love, loved by me... for I now know love because I am loved by thee."

~Robert Browning Hamilton

"I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where. I love you straightforwardly without complexities or pride. I love you because I know no other way then this. So close that your hand, on my chest, is my hand. So close, that when you close your eyes, I fall asleep."

~ Patch Adams

I just love these! I think they are fantastic!!! Here's wishing you a sweet and loving weekend! Until next time...

Baby's Breath - A breath of fresh air!!!

2010-03-11T15:06:00.000-08:00

So, I am talking to a client right now that wants to consider using Baby's Breath as the main flower for her wedding... I know... For most of my existence, I have NOT been an advocate of what I affectionately call "Baby's Barf!" But, I think that I might change my mind... Don't alert the experts, OK... I actually think it is REALLY PRETTY!!! They are having a winter white wedding and want to accent with wood shades of brown and the most pale pink I can find.

So, I did some looking and look what I found... THIS IS ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS! She ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT!!! What do you think??? Isn't it sweet???

I love the mix of flowers.... I love the baby's breath and the anemone's and the white carnations... I just think this table is GORGEOUS! And look at that precious cake...

I told her to alternate between the tables shown above and this table...

It will be soooo pretty!

And this as your centerpiece on the place cards table... And maybe some of these on the buffet tables... It is sooooo pretty!

~
What do you all think? I just think it is soooo elegant!

Until next time...

"Taking the Stage..."

2010-03-10T15:50:00.000-08:00

So, I came across this wedding today being featured and I just HAD to share it with you! It is sooooo much fun! This wedding was coordinated by Eunice with Hello!Lucky - she's the Creative Director. Well... That's obvious!!! She is INCREDIBLE! Eunice of course went crazy with the wedding crafting - including the invites, dress, stage (STAGE!) and loads of handmade details. She had tons of help from her sister/maid of honor/Hello!Lucky co-founder Sabrina and a bunch of super talented friends, especially Because We Can, who built the stage and all sorts of fun props. Take a look... You will LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!!!!

Her dress was made by Iain Harris Barlett, a friend who also runs their London office. Amazing, right... There are a few more shots further down. It’s pretty much epic. Oh and the venue is Wilbur Hot Springs in Northern California. Very magical!!!

Sooooo much fun! Look at the fun "parade" the guests made to the wedding reception!

I LOVE IT!!!

Check out this ceremony stage... Isn't it Amazing!!!

Created and Designed by Because We Can.

Colors are so lovely. As is the Tim Walker inspired parade leading to the ceremony. Because We Can made the shadow puppets, and Eunice and crew hand painted and edged each in gold.

And a vintage photo booth from Magnolia Photobooth Company with all sorts of amazing hats and crowns and props.

Look at all those adorable hats and props!!! I LOVE IT!!!

Beautiful photography from Gia Canali with Sara Remington.
You can see tons more photos and all sorts of behind the scenes stuff on The Bride’s Guide and a full list of all vendors at Hello Lucky.
~

Isn't this soooooo much fun! I love ALL of it!!! What do you think??? Do you all like the stage? Why couldn't you do this? Your guests would be soooo surprised! Think about it... Isn't your wedding kind of "THE SHOW" of a lifetime!!! I sure think so!

Until next time...

Red Carpet Wedding Inspirations

2010-03-09T15:10:00.001-08:00

I've missed you all!!! I left Friday morning for a long weekend in San Diego and just got home last night! We had a GREAT TIME but I missed my daily blogging! Going to have to take the laptop with me next time and blog on the road... Just not the same without it! I hope you all had a nice Oscar Weekend! As we sat and watched the Oscars in all its grandeur, I KNEW as soon as I got home that I HAD to blog about the dresses! It happens EVERY YEAR! The Oscars come around and bridal gown designs find themselves mimicking the stars!!! Who doesn't want to look "award winning" on their wedding day...

So, what did you all think? Were there dresses that you found inspirational? Did you see designs and think, "WOW! That would look great in white or ivory!" I SURE DID!!! Here are some of my favorites from the Red Carpet! I would love to hear your list of "winners" and "losers!"

Miley is wearing a beautiful Jenny Packham gown.

This would make a STUNNING wedding gown! WOW!!!

Cameron wore a gorgeous glittery Oscar de la Renta gown! I think this would too! It's soooo interesting... I love the color but I think if it were ivory it would be EVEN MORE SPECTACULAR!

I also loved the pretty Elie Saab dress Rachel McAdams wore! This shape is pretty popular right now in a solid color but I think the watercolor print was stunning.

This too... Amanda Seyfried in Armani... WOW!!! What a gorgeous gown! Seriously... Don't you think this would be jaw-dropping on a bride!!!

J Lo's Georgio Armani gown was SPECTACULAR TOO! This would make an incredible bridal gown just as it is right now... LOVE IT!!!

Zoe Saldana's Givenchy gown is UNBELIEVABLE!!! This is being seen in bridal fashions now in white and ivory... A LOT! As a matter of fact, Molly who married Jason Mesnik on Saturday 2/27/10 wore a dress with a really similar skirt... It was beautiful!

Oh.... Sandra looked AMAZING in Marchesa! WOW!!!

Chanel... You have done it again!!! This haute couture gown on Sarah Jessica Parker is GORGEOUS! I think this would be an amazing bridal gown! SERIOUSLY!!! Consider it!!!!

Until next time...

"It's IN the Dress!"

2010-03-04T15:34:00.001-08:00

Today, I got to see one of the most sentimental things I have seen in a while for a wedding! This is such a great idea... I don't know why I never thought of this before! Apparently, you can ask your seamstress who is doing the alterations of your gown to stitch the date of your wedding, maybe a sweet little message and your initials in your wedding gown! This is soooo great! I love it! What a timeless legacy to leave inside your gown??? Maybe stitch your wedding vows in it... If you have room... Or a great quote about love! I just think this is sooooo sentimental and special. Maybe you have an aunt or a grandmother who does needlepoint that could make it that much more special... Have her stitch it into your gown as a gift to you...

Remember, those special little touches will mean the most in the end... Not the color of your chair covers, the flavor of your cake, what kind of wine / alcohol you served... Always remember what your celebration is all about and try not to get too wrapped up in the trivial decisions! Spend time in putting special personal touches on things...

They will always stand the test of time!

Until next time...

"Love Birds" take the Cake!!!

2010-03-03T16:25:00.000-08:00

I am ALWAYS on the lookout for GREAT cake toppers! I love ANYTHING non-traditional and CUTE! So, when I came across these ADORABLE "lovebirds" on www.etsy.com, I just had to share them with you! Aren't they sweet??? I LOVE THEM!!!

The wedding cake is such a special part of the whole experience. It's one of the first things guests look for when they enter your wedding reception! I PROMISE! I see it EVERY TIME!!! So, try and find something really personal to adorn your gorgeous wedding cake with...

These timeless, contemporary snow white birds nestle together, interlocking their necks in an embrace... It's just so sweet and romantic!

I LOVE these copper love birds that have a gorgeous patina to them...

SOOO PRETTY!

These are precious too!!!

And for the more casual rustic wedding... These are adorable!

Until next time...

OMG - A GREAT Tuesday find...

2010-03-02T16:26:00.001-08:00

So, I was trying to come up with something SUPER CUTE and SUPER EASY for table numbers and menu descriptions today. And I TOTALLY FOUND THE GREATEST THING!!! IKEA has the cutest white standing frames that are not only ADORABLE but they are DOUBLE-SIDED and SUPER CHEAP! When I saw these, I got soooo excited! Melissa and Pete, I am soooo sorry they didn't have these for Aruba - yours were precious too!!! :)

Anyways, these frames stand vertically on a darling little base and are double-sided. You print the info you want in the frame and just slide it right in... There are soooooo many things you could do with these! I am planning to buy a BUNCH of them and just keep them. I can interchange the inserts for WHATEVER I might need. Honestly, you could even paint them if you wanted them to be something other than white...

The ABSOLUTE BEST PART about these...

THEY ARE $0.99 cents each!!!

Aren't they soooo cute!!!

SERIOUSLY!!! I LOVE THEM!!!! I am sooooo excited!

PS. Stephanie - these would be AWESOME for you!!!

What do you think??? Do you like them? If not, well I just don't even know what to say! I absolutely LOVE IT when I find great little things like this! It TOTALLY made my day! I just ordered 50!!! WHOO HOO!!!

Until next time...

PRECIOUS Popcorn Balls...

2010-03-01T15:53:00.000-08:00

I was looking for a really cute and classy favor for a bride in Dallas today and came across these ADORABLY PRECIOUS popcorn balls! Aren't they soooo cute?

I love it because there could be so many variations on these to personalize them for your wedding! You could do a colored box with a great ribbon... Or even change up the flavor of the popcorn ball to something you and your groom just love! They could also be dipped or drizzled in chocolate or even add some colorful sprinkles! It's all in the presentation and I personally think this one HIT IT OUT OF THE PARK!!! I just love it!!!

Until next time...

Because you touched my "Sole..."

2010-02-26T11:58:00.000-08:00

I am a TOTAL sucker for sweet, sentimental and heartfelt things... And whenever I come across something that I think is really special, I tuck it away in a very special place to use for special things... One of my bride's recently asked her bridesmaids to sign the bottom of the new shoes she had gotten for her wedding day. She had them sign in permanent marker so their names wouldn't fade over time... It was soooo touching! I am sure many of you have seen this but I wanted to share it with you today! I think it is a fantastic idea!!!

This bride had her and her new husband's first initial embossed with blue rhinestones... This was her "Something Blue!" Soooo cute! And, when she knelt down at the altar for her wedding mass, her guests could see the initials... It was ADORABLE!!!

I have also seen this where it reads, "I DO!" PRECIOUS!!!

Make sure you have some heartfelt and sentimental touches to your wedding day... It makes it so special and when you look back you will remember the special moment! Until next time...

RING SHOTS... Soooo FUN!

2010-02-24T14:49:00.000-08:00

Today, we were putting together a "Shot List" for a wedding I am working on and the bride was insistent that there is a great shot taken of their wedding rings. I know this is traditional but she has requested that the shot be NON-TRADITIONAL! She wants something SUPER FUN that reflects their personal style! I have seen these kinds of shots before and I ALWAYS love them... I am a HUGE fan of photo's that make you FEEL something as opposed to photo's that just make you see something. So, I challenge you to ask your photographer to "Shoot from the Heart!" Make sure you are giving your photographer a clear description of how you want your wedding shot because you can't go back and do it again... This is a one-time opportunity! And, of course, you want them to be PERFECT and to clearly show your relationship as a couple... Here are some really fun examples...

Of course being the TOTAL girly girl that I am, this one is my favorite! I even use these pink curlers on occasion! Isn't that a great vintage ring too... This picture says A LOT to me!

I love this too! So pretty and elegant but still has that modern twist shot on a rustic plank!

Ohhh... How sweet it is! I love this!!! This would be adorable set in those pretty pink and white candy hearts too!

"I'm Hooked!!!" That's all I can say to how SYMBOLIC this is!!!

Aren't these fun??? Make sure you get some really FUN shots on your special day... One's you can look back at and just SMILE! They will mean so much to you! I promise!!! Until next time...

GORGEOUS BOUQUETS...

2010-02-23T15:19:00.000-08:00

Ok... my faithful readers... This week's posts might be a little shorter than usual and for that I AM SOOOOO SORRY! I am in the middle of moving and things are CRAZY! Of course, this is something I look forward to doing every day so I have to at least take a little time to share with you! I just won't be able to run on about the things I "love" and think are "GORGEOUS!!! But, maybe that's for the better... I know... I get soooo PASSIONATE about this stuff! But, that's just me and hopefully you all LOVE IT too!

Today, I had to pull some ideas for interesting bouquets... Something that was a little out of the ordinary but still enchanting and beautiful! So, Martha Stewart.com is featuring 50 beautiful bouquets... I went through them all and these are the 10 BEST I found! They are all beautiful! I hope you enjoy them...

I love the pale pink Anemone's in this bouquet... So sweet but still a bit modern!

This one is gorgeous too!!!

WOW!!! For a Spring or Fall wedding... The pinks and orange in this are spectacular!

Ohhhhhhh.... PEONIES!!! I LOVE THIS!!!

This is really really interesting to me! I really like the shells!!!

Oh gosh... I love the shades of purple!!! SO REGAL!!!

These tulips are spectacular!!!

I love this too! I LOVE LOVE LOVE accenting bouquets with great ribbon!!! SERIOUSLY!!! It is so much fun!

I absolutely love how traditional this is! LOVE THE PEONIES mixed with the roses!!!

This is almost angelic!!! GORGEOUS!!!

I hope these bouquets put a smile to your face... Until next time...

Take a seat... Unusual seating options for a Wedding Ceremony

2010-02-22T14:22:00.001-08:00

Happy Monday everyone! I hope everyone had a nice weekend! It rained in AZ almost the whole weekend so it was kind of a lazy snuggly weekend... I talked to a client today who is getting married in November and wants to have some non-traditional seating. So, I was looking for some ideas for her today and found some pretty cool ideas... I know we all love the gorgeous chivari chairs but why not come up with something a little different... You all know I love nothing more than surprising guests when they arrive to an event! Something out of the ordinary for seating is sure to do this! Here are some fun ideas I sent her way...

I love this... I would probably do some sort of color on the barrels of hay but the white is so fresh and organic! I would also consider using a great ribbon too - maybe something with stripes... It would be adorable with a sage green fabric and a black and white striped ribbon... LOVE IT!

This is A LOT of fun too! We wanted to do this for Pete and Melissa's wedding in Aruba but they don't have ANY rental companies that have these down there... Plus, you need a pretty big spread of beach to set this up! But, what a sight... SOOOO GREAT!!!

I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE this!!! How fun and intimate!!! You could use colored cushions too... Or stick with the white and maybe accent with bright colored pillows on the benches!

This is also super romantic! I love the cushions with the colored fans and the pots of orchids to throw as the the processional takes place....

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE the intimacy of this for a small wedding!!! This is fantastic!!!

This too! This is beautiful!!!

This was another option we were considering for the Aruba wedding... But having the benches constructed down there was next to impossible! Can't believe that a beach location wouldn't have this as an option! I love it!!!

Anyways, this client is having a backyard wedding and really wants it to be super romantic... So, she is looking at these... We are also looking at the "picnic" pictures I posted a few weeks ago with the big print blankets on the yard with pillows... What do you think??? Have you seen anything really great and want to share it with us??? Email me your ideas... Until next time...

A "Succulent" Wedding

2010-02-19T15:12:00.001-08:00

Succulent plants are part of the cacti family! Being from Arizona, these are pretty commonplace to us but those of you from other places might find these incredibly interesting! Stephanie Williams Photography photographed this wedding for Julie and Patrick in Joshua Tree, just minutes from the Joshua Tree National Park... So, being in the desert, how appropriate to use succulents as the flower!

Being a native from Arizona, flowers in the hot months are quite difficult! The heat is so intense that after hours of exposure, they are wilted and tired! Succulents are very easy to find in AZ and are OFTEN overlooked as a great choice for a wedding flower. They are a plant that naturally retains water and remains looking gorgeous for a very long time. So, please tell me why we don't use these more often for weddings! Plus, they can be reused as opposed to THROWING THEM OUT at the end of the night! So, today I found some great looks to consider!

Take a look...

This bouquet is incredible!!! I LOVE IT! For those of us from Arizona, wouldn't this be AWESOME!!!

And how about this succulent in her hair??? SOOOOO COOL!!!

Aren't these tables gorgeous??? I love that they pieced together different varieties of succulents in different containers! It is so visually interesting and would create such great conversation at the table! I love it! It's rustic yet modern!!!

I love these! The best part is you can take them home with you and decorate your home as a newly married couple with these planters full of easy to care for succulents! Every time you water them and look at them, you will think of your special day!

Here is another great example of some succulents mixed with orchids! Isn't it interesting??? SOOOOO PRETTY!

These potted succulent favors are the perfect gift for your guests to take home! The endurance of the succulent plant is unequaled -- all they need is good drainage and sun. Just like your everlasting commitment of love you have just made in front of your guest, the succulent you send home with them will be a long lasting and easy to care for reminder of your special day!

Here you see succulents mixed with other flowers to create a dramatic centerpiece that can be set in various different locations. I would recommend planting these in a rustic concrete or wax container like the one shown!

So, what do you think??? Do you like them??? Have a fantastic weekend! It's a sunny 77 degrees in Phoenix today! I am headed out for the weekend! Until next time...

Unleash your Inner FLORAL DESIGNER!!!

2010-02-18T14:02:00.000-08:00

Finding a creative, unique and fun idea for a Wedding Shower, Birthday Party or Bachelorette party is never easy. Of course, you can whip up some brunch items, play some fun games or go to a cutesy little restaurant but why not surprise your guests and your honoree with a SUPER FUN idea! A DIY Flower Arranging 101 party...

Last year, I made a commitment to myself to try to have fresh flowers in my house at least once a month and the best part of this commitment was that I had to make the arrangement myself. I know that most of you are too busy to bring the simple beauty of fresh flowers into their lives. But, it is really quite simple. All you need are a couple of cute vases, some fresh bunches of flowers, a little time and some insider tips to making your creations GORGEOUS!

Every one of us loves fresh flowers!!! I don't care what you say... You know you smile and feel incredibly special when you receive them. Many of you have expressed a concern about the expense of floral arrangements. But, I can assure you there is a solution! We all pass the floral section at the grocery store with mounds of inexpensive flowers every time we go inside but pass them by because we either don't have the time or the creativity to put together a simple arrangement. I thought, why not show people how to gather bunches and create something charming in their home? This class teaches women how to shop for, clean/prepare and arrange flowers! It's brilliant!!!

There are lots of ways you could setup this party!

1. Attendees could bring a vase as a gift to the honoree (Bride, Birthday Girl, etc...) - we never have vases when we need them and this would provide a bunch of cute vases to start a collection! The host would then have to provide vases for the attendees to use and take home. You can find great inexpensive vases from wholesalers online who sell to the public, on www. etsy.com or on ebay... Target has precious vases too!

2. Guests can bring their own vases for the arrangements they create

3. The host can provide a variety of vases for the attendees to use and take home...

See... The options on this are endless!

What’s a party without making it look all cute! Of course, you will have to come up with a really cute way to set this up but this is pretty darn cute! They used packing paper and then drew place mats onto it and wrote the name of each person in attendance creating PRECIOUS little workstations. At each place setting there was an apron, some flower cutting shears and a notepad to take notes all tied together with an ADORABLE bow... You could even make the aprons by using IKEA dish towels... All you have to do is fold over the top and insert a ribbon to tie them on and sew down the fold! They turn out soooooo great!!!

To spice up the party treats and spirits must be present. I would recommend finger foods for sure! Focus on finger sandwiches and petite desserts! Make sure they are ADORABLE cause this is going to be quite a cute party!!!

Look at those aprons!!! FANTASTIC, right???

Now, if you feel skilled enough to teach a class on flower arranging, you could really do the DIY 101 class all on your own. But, my recommendation would be to enlist the help of a florist! Some of the florists I work with are offering a package that you can order that will include all of the flowers and the instruction. They will come to your event, bring all the flowers needed based on the number of attendees you will have and will teach an instructional class on how to create GORGEOUS arrangements along with some great insider tricks of the trade!

Look how cute all of this is... I really think that this would be such a fun party!

Here is the final product!!! Aren't they precious? Everyone was able to create a look that fits their style! And they went home with fresh flowers that look like a floral designer created! LOVE IT!!!

A DIY Flower Arranging Party! SOOOOO MUCH FUN! Let's have one! It would definitely get us all in the spirit of spring! And all your attendees would be talking about it for a long time... What do you think??? Share your thoughts with me! If you are interested in hosting a flower arranging party and would like Simply Social Event Design to help pull it all together, contact us at simplysocialeventdesign@yahoo.com! We can do everything from invitations to flowers, to arranging for vases and instructors, to organizing the catering and decorations! We are simply here to help! Until next time...

Short and Sweet!!!

2010-02-17T15:59:00.000-08:00

So, today I was doing a little searching and came across this short wedding dress... Now, I don't think I would have ever categorized myself as someone who would like a short wedding dress... I think it's tons of fun when a SUPER FUN bride changes into a short dress for her reception for dancing and a great time, but I don't think I would have ever thought about a short wedding dress for a wedding. Then, I saw this one... Isn't it PRECIOUS??? I think it is soooooo beautiful! So, this darling little number has inspired today's post! I will be showing you THE CUTEST short wedding dresses I could find! There aren't many and the ones that are out there are pretty mediocre! So, these are the best of the best! Tell me what you think... Would you consider a short dress? I mean, seriously... How cute would these be with an adorable pair of shoes peeking out??? I LOVE IT!!!

This is a Justin Alexander gown... I LOVE the color! They call the color ivory with a coffee sash... I just LOVE the detail on the bodice and the dainty skirt that seems to just bounce! It's GORGEOUS!!!

This is a Stephanie James Couture gown... This bride was doing a black and ivory wedding and she adorned it with a black petticoat! SOOOOO CUTE!!!

This is another Stephanie James gown... I love that the bride tied a beautiful 4" double faced satin ribbon around her waist! GORGEOUS!!!

This is another Justin Alexander gown. The little shrug can come off for your reception revealing a DARLING little number!!! LOVE THIS TOO!!!

Another Stephanie James that has a precious pink bow beaded to the bodice of the gown... I LOVE IT! How fun and flirty...

I am not sure who's dress this is but I think it is great! It almost looks vintage!

How about these polka dots??? I am totally a polka dot person....

I just thought it was too cute not to share!

So... a short wedding gown! It is so fun and flirty! I love them!!! I just think they are such a breath of fresh air! Share your comments with me... I want to hear what you all think!

Until next time...

"How Sweet it is..."

2010-02-16T15:36:00.000-08:00

I am working with a client right now that is hosting her son's Rehearsal Dinner in April and is looking to do a really fun dessert station. So, today I was inspired to find some REALLY FUN dessert stations... I know that all of you fell in love with the "Candy Station" that became so incredibly popular about 3 years ago. EVERYONE had a candy station... They were soooooo predictable! I could almost say the words to my clients before they ever even asked for them... They were all the same. They were candies found in the colors of the wedding or maybe candies from their generation. I have to be honest... I got REALLY sick of them for the longest time! I just hate predictability! No one ever did anything FUN with them... That is until AMY ATLAS came along.

Amy Atlas is probably the most sought-after event planner in New York City for AMAZING dessert tables. From a very young age, Amy was entertaining for friends and family. By the time she reached college, she had perfected her talent for her signature dessert tables. She is QUITE a talent! Whenever you google "dessert tables" or "candy stations," her incredible designs dominate the search results! It's pretty simple what she does... She keeps the tables super clean, super cute and SUPER CREATIVE! She is soooooooo my kind of girl! I absolutely love her! She NEVER ceases to amaze me with the things she comes up with! So, even though the "candy station" has been sooooo overdone, Amy's creation will be accepted and will live on forever as an essential part of a celebration as long as they are "Atlas Style."

So, this one's for you Patti! Maybe we can find some great inspiration here for the Rehearsal Dinner! Let's put our thinking caps on to come up with something that will be jaw-dropping! I am ready!!!

This is by far my favorite dessert table Amy has created! It is just soooo much fun! So vibrant and cheery!!!

For those of you that love fuchsia and brown... This is gorgeous!!! I love that she used scrapbooking paper under the chocolates on the plates! So simple yet makes such a statement!!!

Ok... This isn't Amy but I thought it was great! What guest wouldn't love this!!! Roll these delicious treats out just after the cake or maybe just before the event ends... Put a great little frame on the tray that says, "Thank you for sharing this special moment with us... Sweet Dreams!"

This one is great too! I love all the different elements in it... The flowers, the great containers and cakes stands!

Ok... This is great too! They hung a really great fabric swag behind the table... You can find fabrics like this with great prints at IKEA. They have awesome fabrics... Also, on http://www.etsy.com/! Check it out...

This white and ivory look is great too! Soooooo elegant! This would be great for a bridal shower!

How about the chocolate and strawberry milk shooters... LOVE IT!

Love the cotton candy too!

This is beautiful too!

Another Amy Atlas creation.... She is incredible, right???

Ok.... So, of course I still love the candy station / dessert station! It takes me back to my childhood and I really do think it is soooo much fun for all in attendance. I honestly have seen the adults having more fun making candy bags than the kids even do... But try and step out of the box in what you are doing. Please don't let it be predictable! Come up with something great for the guests to put their candy in instead of a tacky cellophane bag. Or at least make the cellophane bag interesting! Until next time...

Let the Sunshine In!!!

2010-02-15T16:28:00.000-08:00

Over the weekend, while trying to nurse my sick boyfriend back to feeling good, I FINALLY sat down and looked through THE GIANT stack of mail order catalogs I have been accruing. I can assure you THERE WERE A LOT!!! I often find inspirations in them but I like to look at them all at once. After just looking at the Saks, Nordstrom, Neimans and J Crew catalogs, I knew there was going to be a HUGE trend in fashion for spring and summer - YELLOW!!! It's everywhere!!! I ran over to Macy's on Saturday and seriously it really was! Sooooo many yellow tops and dresses! Now, yellow is quite the tough color to wear. I am pretty fair and have SUPER DARK hair so I look like a blank canvas when I put it on. But, I LOVE IT! It makes me so happy! In fact, in high school, my bedroom was painted BRIGHT CANARY YELLOW! Sorry Dad!!! I think it took like 8 coats of yellow to get it just right. But, let me tell you... I attribute some of the development of my sunny, happy and smiley personality to that yellow room! There was absolutely NO WAY I could EVER wake up in a bad mood in that room. For this very reason, I think Yellow is a FANTASTIC color for weddings. It is just soooooo happy and cheery! And who is not happy or cheery at their wedding! It's so fresh and vibrant! So, I decided that today I was going to show some great ideas for yellow weddings! I am actually working with a bride in Dallas right now who is getting married May 1, 2010 and her colors are yellow and grey! You will see some ideas that we are using for her wedding in these! So... This one's for you Stephanie! I am getting so excited for you and Dan!!!

The yellow dahlia's are GORGEOUS! Just find a great white or black vase for them and they will be stunning. I also love the yellow and white paper flowers on the top left! We are trying to figure out a way to make these cover the ceremony room for Stephanie's Brunch Wedding in May... Still working on that Steph... :) The fresh lemonade and the Limoncello is a FANTASTIC favor! I would tie a black and white bow around it too! And the lemon with the little attached note... "So that when life brings you lemons... You can make lemonade!" Too cute! And the cake is great too! I love the yellow bridesmaids dresses too! How about that church with the yellow door... Pretty cool right?

Ok... This shoe takes the cake! WOW!! And that wedding dress! LOVE IT!!! FANTASTIC! I love the cake... The table options are great too! I would definitely alternate looks on each table. Do half in black linens with the yellow and white flowers and the other half in yellow linens with black and white flowers... Wrap some of the vases in damask and/or black and white fabrics... I love that invitation too! The black and white polka dot converse with yellow laces would be ADORABLE for the ring bearer! And definitely depart from your wedding in an old school yellow taxi!

Here are some great ideas for yellow invitations! There aren't a whole lot of cool options out there in yellow invitations so good luck with that one... I would probably recommend doing a black and white invitation and then find a great yellow liner for your envelopes or incorporate a great yellow ribbon on the invitation...

So, YELLOW! What do you think? I really love it and it has made me in SUCH A GREAT mood looking for all of these ideas... HAPPY MONDAY and HAPPY YELLOW!!! Until next time...

Cute Homemade Valentine's Cards - Break out your scissors and your paper! I DARE YOU!!!

2010-02-12T10:23:00.000-08:00

Only three more days... Today, I promise to be much more fun and A LOT less serious with this post! I thought it would be fun to post some GREAT IDEAS for handmade valentine's cards... These are great! Some are funny and some are more sentimental! But, I love them all! Have fun reading all of them! If anything, maybe someone will get a great idea to create a homemade Valentine's Card! You could EASILY print ANY of these on your home computer! Just download some cool free fonts and get after it! GO FOR IT!!!

This is for all you "Twilight" lovers! Those of you whose boyfriends HATE Edward... This is SUPER FUNNY! I guarantee you I know at least 10 girls who would buy this card for their boyfriends or husbands! They are "Edward OBSESSED!"

These are great! I love that they just used lyrics from GREAT Pop Hits right now.. Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga! Genius!!! See, just turn up your radio on the way home tonight and find the perfect lyrics to print on your homemade Valentine's Card...

Here's another one! The Black Eyed Peas... I LOVE LOVE LOVE this song!!! So much fun!

A little more sensitive... I love this! As you readers know... I LOVE Ferris Wheels!

This is hilarious!

SERIOUSLY FANTASTIC! Now, you would have to just print this one but there were tons of these! I love you more than: Facebook, Twitter, my iPod, my email, my iPhone... It could be ANYTHING!!!

Tooooooo funny!!!!

This one's for you Erin! My ABSOLUTE FAVORITE Pirate Girl!!!

These are darling! Right up my alley!

These are precious too!

Using old Dean Martin lyrics! I love this too! This one is letterpressed!

Ohhhhhh! Now we are talking! I LOVE THIS!!!

There is still time to make a homemade Valentine... DO IT! Your special someone will be soooo happy! It's just so special that you actually sat down and took the time to make a card. It doesn't have to be anything special... Just the fact that you did it will mean more than you will ever know. I hope you enjoyed the cards I showed today. They are available by VERY Talented designers on www.etsy.com.

I hope you all have a wonderful Valentine's Day! I wish all of you nothing but love... If you have someone special in your life, take a moment to celebrate your story! If you are still looking for Mr. or Ms. Right, take a moment on Valentine's Day and dream... Make a list of all the important qualities you are looking for... Send it out into the universe and go about your journey! You will be amazed how quickly they will come into your life if you are just open to it. Have fun! Celebrate Valentine's Day with your girlfriends or go out with your guy friends and just have a good time! I hope you had fun with a week of Valentines... Wishing you lots of love and romance in the months to come! Happy Valentine's Day! Until next time...

"A Vintage Love Story"

2010-02-11T15:51:00.000-08:00

We are down to 4 days... And today, I have a true love story to share with you! This is one will tug at your heartstrings FOR SURE! I know I have said it a MILLION times... But, I am totally the world's most hopeless romantic and when I saw this today, I just knew I had to share it with all of you! Cause you and I both know... We all hope to someday get swept off our feet in love! I don't care how much you deny it... Deep down inside, we all are just dying for it! We want a love story! Every person's version of a love story is different and I think that's what makes love so special... Finally finding someone who shares the same hope... Finding someone who fulfills the fantasy of that story! It's so exciting when it finally happens... And though you may not "gush" about it the way I do, you know that your heart "gushes" even if its just to yourself when it does happen!

I came across this photo montage and in the spirit of Valentine's Day, I am sharing it with you! "A Vintage Love Story." The idea was designed by Wedding Coordinator Pam Barefoot. She wanted to bring a couple's story to life and I thought the idea and the outcome was absolutely captivating! Katie Stoops, the photographer, took pictures that day... The temperature what a chilling 17 degrees! WHEW! But, the gorgeous snow really set the mood for the pictures. Here is the sweet story of their relationship in photos!

They met at a train station...

They had their first date in an Ice Cream Parlor...

See... Chivalry is not dead! Ladies... I promise you! There still are chivalrous men who want to love you the way you always dreamed of... Just be patient! I am living proof!!! It is sooooo worth the wait to truly meet Mr. Right!!!

She said YES on the Ice Rink! Look how sweet this is...

It just makes my heart melt!

This wedding took place in a home that was over 100 years old...

Talk about timeless!

To all of you who worked on this wedding... Thank You SOOOO MUCH! You truly created such a lovely story to share with us. It's the perfect portrait of TIMELESS LOVE! Right??? Isn't love the sweetest?

Wedding Coordinator- Pam Barefoot, A Trendy Wedding

Photographer- Katie Stoops

Flowers- Helen Olivia

Hair & Makeup- Kim Steele

Clothes- Many Etsy stores and Vintage Clothing stores

Until next time...

Valentine's Flowers - Let's Try Something NEW!!!

2010-02-10T13:52:00.000-08:00

Well... we are now 5 days away from the BIG DAY! Have you ordered your special someone flowers yet? If you have, when you spoke to the florist on the phone, did your order sound something like this... "Yes, I would like to order flowers for Valentine's Day. I would like the "Hugs and Kisses" arrangement. For the card, can you just write "Happy Valentine's Day - I love you!" If it sounded ANYTHING remotely like this... STOP RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE! Please do yourself justice and KEEP READING...

Valentine's flowers are supposed to be something special! Not something you feel an obligation to buy because it's Valentine's Day... God knows you are spending an arm and a leg for them because of this holiday.... Shouldn't you at least get something cool and that will make your special someone actually feel SPECIAL and that you put some time and effort into picking and ordering them... YES! The answer is YES!!! Did you know that when you call to order flowers you can actually design them yourself... What a novel concept... I KNOW! I recommend taking the time to do some research online or even try to find an inspiring picture in a magazine... Veranda, House Beautiful, Metropolitan Home or any of the other great design magazines will have GORGEOUS flowers you can get inspiration from. Once you have found something, you can scan the picture or simply take it into the florist and ask them to copy it. Your recipient will love the story of how you designed the flowers and it will definitely make them feel extra special...

If you are talking to a florist who is NOT open to this, HANG UP THE PHONE IMMEDIATELY! Remember, you are the customer and they should be happy to have your business! I always send pictures to the florist... I guess I like to have a part in designing what I am sending someone... I have been working a Le Fleur Boutique for over a year now and I have to tell you... I am ABSOLUTELY THRILLED to have found them! They are ALWAYS so willing to accommodate any request I throw at them and they NEVER let me down... They just continue to impress me... They do all sorts of things from weddings, to social events, to trunk shows at Neimans and Saks to just every day flowers. We actually get flowers delivered from them once a week and our clients are constantly asking who they were provided by...

So, today I am pushing you out of that "boring flowers" box you are hiding in and DARING you to take a leap... BRANCH OUT PEOPLE!!! Send gorgeous flowers... Jane and Laurie at Le Fleur Boutique are ready to help! If you haven't ordered flowers for Valentine's Day or you HAVE and you need to rethink your selection (YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE...) please give them a call. You can design your own, you can give them the freedom to design for you (you can be assured that you will be impressed) or you can ask for one of the arrangements shown below... They will be happy to accommodate any request you have! I found several arrangements that I thought were fantastic and then have shown some of the work that Le Fleur Boutique has done over the past year... You will love them! I promise!!!

Aren't these lavender flowers GORGEOUS??? I mean, they are so simple but absolutely beautiful. Sometimes, all an arrangement needs is a FANTASTIC vase. So, branch out! Ask for something in a colored or frosted vase... Stay away from the boring glass cylinder or squares... PLEASE!!! I promise you... You will not be disappointed!

Ok... This is INCREDIBLE! If I received flowers like this, I can guarantee you MY JAW WOULD HIT THE GROUND! And, the recipient can reuse that vase for SOOOO many things! I LOVE THIS!!! Obviously, this vase probably can't be recreated but I am sure you could find something close... It is a trifle and they have them everywhere! I have seen really cute ones at Target with patterns but honestly, how adorable would it be to get a glass one and fill it with pink and green jelly beans or maybe precious valentine hearts... ADORABLE!!! Plus, this arrangement features Hyacinth! This might be one of the BEST fragrant flowers EVER! I have them in my office and you can smell them from a long distance away. It's not overpowering though... Very fresh, crisp and clean... LOVE IT!

How precious are these little ranunculus... They are placed in a pale pink rectangle vase and are absolutely charming!!!! I love them! Again, so simple but so chic!!!

And these too... See what a difference a vase makes! Just a simple cylinder colored vase! LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT!!! Any valentine would be just beside herself to receive these...

Now, if you are looking for the ULTIMATE in beauty, style and class - YOU SEND A BOUQUET OF PEONIES!!! My absolute MOST FAVORITE flower! They are just sooooooooo gorgeous!!! So elegant and rich! Le Fleur added pink orchids to this arrangement but Peonies are a stand-alone flower too... They are one of those flowers that doesn't need a partner in a vase! They look absolutely stunning all on their own. I like this for something a little different but really just had to share with you HOW GORGEOUS the peony is....

This is an arrangement that Le Fleur is featuring for Valentine's Day! They have had a great response for it and it really is adorable! If your Valentine is a bit more modern but still likes a classic look - this is PERFECT! Love the pops of color...

If your Valentine is a bit more traditional but still likes the modern side, this arrangement set in a chocolate brown wax cylinder filled with pink hydrangeas would be perfect! I love this! I have actually used this from Le Fleur before... I had the arrangements done in green but pink is much more appropriate for Valentine's day... I love this too!

And if your Valentine is more fun and spunky, why not surprise her with this purple and chartreuse arrangement? Le Fleur did this for an event and it was a TOTAL HIT! Love the color... So cool!!!

This is absolutely TIMELESS! Oh... This is fantastic! How beautiful right? It makes me think of a gorgeous Ballerina... RIGHT??? Just so elegant and poised... Great Job Jane and Laurie... This would also be absolutely gorgeous for Valentine's Day...

So, are you ready to call and send that someone special some flowers that are sure to make them smile... I guarantee MAJOR BROWNIE POINTS for effort! Any of these arrangements would be a show-stopper FOR SURE! Branch out of that BORING flower arrangement box you have been hiding in... You will not be sorry! And neither will your recipient... I PROMISE!!!

To order flowers, contact: Le Fleur Boutique

Jane and Laurie

602.230.5444

lefleurboutique@aol.com

*** When ordering, please mention that Simply Social referred you!!!

Until next time...

A Valentine's Engagement Photo Session...

2010-02-09T09:22:00.000-08:00

The countdown is on.... Just 6 more days until Valentine's Day! I can feel it in the air! I was at the card shop yesterday and found myself just enamored with watching people reading Valentine's cards. Some were giggling and laughing over a comedic card dismissing the holiday and bringing "power to being single." And some were sighing a big deep breath because they were obviously soooo in love! It was quite an interesting little thing to watch... Of course, I am THE BIGGEST HOPELESS ROMANTIC of them all, so I love Valentine's Day. But, most of all, I love that I am loved EVERY DAY by the absolute LOVE of my LIFE!

Today, I am SOOOOOO excited to share this stunning session with you guys! I came across this photo session from Vania + Christine of Simply Bloom Photography. This couple is getting married Valentine's Weekend and decided to do their engagement photos with a Valentine's Theme. They wanted to really set the scene for their wedding and in my opinion - THEY SUCCEEDED!!!! The photos are absolutely gorgeous! Wouldn't this be sooooo much fun??? If you are having a Valentine's Day wedding or are just SUPER ROMANTIC and whimsical - this would be fantastic! I love it!!! So, I am sharing the photos with you and I have also included some of my favorite quotes about love! I am trying really hard to get all of you in the spirit or hearts and cupids... Is it working yet???

"When you smiled you had my undivided attention. When you laughed you had my urge to laugh with you. When you cried you had my urge to hold you. When you said you loved me, you had my heart forever." ~ Anonymous

"The most important thing in life is to learn how to give out love and to let it come in." ~ Morrie Schwartz

"I love you not because of who you are, but because of who I am when I am with you!" ~ Roy Croft

"For it was not into my ear you whispered, but into my heart. It was not my lips you kissed, but my soul." ~ Judy Garland

"I don't pretend to know what love is for everyone, but I can tell you what it is for me; love is knowing all about someone, and still wanting to be with them more than any other person, love is trusting them enough to tell them everything about yourself, including the things you might be ashamed of, love is feeling comfortable and safe with someone, but still getting weak knees when they walk into a room and smile at you." ~ Anonymous

"I am like a falling star who has finally found her place next to another in a lovely constellation, where we will sparkle in the heavens forever." ~ Amy Tan

"Love is just a word until someone comes along and gives it meaning." ~ Anonymous

"To the world you may be just one person, but to one person you may be the world." ~ Brandi Snyder

"You know you're in love when you don't want to fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams." ~ Dr. Seuss

"Love is patient, love is kind.It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.It is not rude, it is not self-seeking.It is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth.It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.Love never fails." I Corinthians 13:4-8

"I love you not only for what you are, but for what I am when I am with you. I love you not only for what you have made of yourself, but for what you are making of me. I love you for the part of me that you bring out." ~ Elizabeth Barrett Browning

So... What do you think??? Isn't it fun? Arrows, feathered wings, red paper hearts!!! I LOVE IT!

Until next time...

Love is in the air...

2010-02-08T16:18:00.001-08:00

So, being that Valentine's Day is less than a week away, I am feeling like this week is going to be dedicated to all things Valentine's and Cupid related! Today, we will be looking at having a Valentine's Wedding. As cliche as it may sound... It could be QUITE romantic! I found lots of things RED and pieced together some ideas I think you will enjoy! I am TOTALLY in the Valentine's mood now and am looking forward to spending it with my sweetheart... At the least, maybe I can get you all feeling butterflies and loving romantic thoughts too!

All of this is so great! I love the tablescape for the reception! It's just gorgeous! The big grouping of red Chinese paper lanterns over each table! STUNNING! How about those red chopsticks... Set one at each place setting... And the red goblets? You can rent those! And that red chandelier! AMAZING!!! Love the Waterford Crystal champagne flutes too! I have seen these in person and they are HUGE! They are absolutely spectacular! Perfect for a wedding toast on Valentine's Day! The Red Valentino Bow Peep Toe Pump is HOT HOT HOT!!! If you are willing to have some Asian flair at your wedding, the takeout boxes are adorable... And of course, what would I put in them... NOTHING OTHER THAN Red Velvet Cake balls dipped in chocolate for your guests to take home! HEAVENLY!!!

Here are some gorgeous invitations. One a bit more modern and the other timeless and gorgeous! I love them both and so appropriate for Valentine's Day! Let me tell you... the selection of RED wedding invitations out there is TERRIBLE! SO CHEESY! But these ones just hit the mark!!!

And how about this getaway car!!! FANTASTIC! My mom actually had this car when she was 16 in a convertible... Yes! It was a gorgeous red convertible and she still has it! Wouldn't that be a fun way to exit your wedding??? SO COOL!!!

Here are some fun ideas of ways you can incorporate Valentine's into your food at your wedding... Look at this Beet Salad? The beets were cut into hearts... ADORABLE! I LOVE IT!!! I think I might make this salad for Joe one night this week... TOO CUTE! And how about these ice cream sandwiches and the candied apples! PERFECTION!!! The chocolate covered strawberries are a standard but great idea to roll them in pistachios!

So, get ready! Happy HEART Day is almost here! Have you found the perfect little something that says you mean the world to me and you fill my heart with more joy than you will ever know??? Are you feeling Cupid about to strike with his love arrow? Well, if not, hopefully by the end of the week I will have inspired you! I have lots of fun ideas to share with you from great homemade gifts even YOU can make and look like a star to great ideas for handmade Valentine's cards... Just wait! LOVE IS IN THE AIR...

Until next time...

It's a Jungle out there!!!

2010-02-04T16:15:00.000-08:00

It's a JUNGLE out there!!! How fun would a Jungle Themed Children's Party be... I have to tell you... Piecing these items together is pretty hard! There is not a whole lot of SUPER CUTE stuff out there for kids! It is pretty cheesy! If you are a SUPER COOL and TRENDY mom like all the amazing mom's I know out there, you have GOT to be frustrated! I am seriously putting myself on a mission to find cute kids birthday stuff that doesn't cost an ARM and a LEG!!! UGH!!!

I did the best I could with the Jungle Stuff! There were some really cute things and talk about some incredible cakes!!!

I love the jungle masks and the hats! Jungle Grub - who knew... How cute!!! How about the Lion Pinata! PRECIOUS! I love the project of the kids making jungle paper bag puppets. You can get all these little parts at Michael's or Hobby Lobby or you can probably order them online. Look at those Jungle Sippy Cups! TOO CUTE!

In Phoenix, we have the Arizona Wildlife Zoo! This would be the perfect location for your Jungle Party! Soooo fun! I haven't been but I have heard great things about it. There's always the Phoenix Zoo! I am pretty sure you can even have a sleepover party at the Phoenix Zoo... How fun would that be...

Look at these cakes! WOW! I am SUPER IMPRESSED with the Jungle Cakes! WOW!!!

And will you look at these costumes? Obviously this would be for a little brother or a little sister... But, I guess you could have a Jungle Party for a 1 or 2 year old at home... These were just too darn cute not to share! OOOOOHHHH! I just want to squeeze them up!

My thought on the sandwiches was to have jungle sandwiches... If the party was at the zoo, you could do really precious boxed lunches with the sandwiches cut out. You could do this at home too! Just such an easy thing and its just too precious!!!

I like the idea of the Jungle Party! It's darling! And really could be appropriate with girls or boys! So, you could lean on Dora the Explorer, Bindi the Jungle Girl or even Madagascar, Over the Hedge or even the Lion King! Too Cute! I promise tomorrow's children's party will be INCREDIBLY GIRLY!!! Tea Party or a Princess Party or something...

Until next time...

Raise your Torches - It's an Olympic's Extravaganza

2010-02-04T11:43:00.000-08:00

The opening ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Olympics are just around the corner so its only appropriate that we use the Olympics as a party theme for a sporty children's birthday party! Obviously, I would prefer to do this party in the spring but in the spirit of the Winter Games, we are going to talk about it TODAY! I think it would be so much fun!I would OF COURSE order Olympic flags to hang in the yard. I would really want to find small flags for the different countries and maybe hang them across the yard or along the back fence... It would be so festive!

This would be the color palate for the party! Lots of primary color linens, plates, napkins and cups! So fun!!!

Then, you would have to create a dramatic entrance of course!!! You could easily recreate some Olympic emblems to hang on the fence or anywhere really. And use those small flags to line the entrance and the yard. ADORABLE!

Don't forget LOTS of balloons! This would be another GREAT opportunity for a balloon arch! Just alternate the Olympic colors! It would be fabulous!

How cute to make personalized Olympic bibs too for each child!!! This would honestly be sooo easy!

At the front gate, make sure you have "Athlete Registration." They can pick up their bibs and get all ready for game day! WHOO HOO!!!

The personalized water bottles are precious too! There are water bottle labels where you can just print these on your home computer! ADORABLE! They could pick these up at "Athlete Registration" too!

This is a great example of the flags for all the countries too! This is something you could print on your home computer too if you didn't want to buy the flags... This would take a bit of creativity on your part (or mine if you hire me to design and coordinate your party) but it would be cute! Also, how cute that they draped platforms for the winner's pictures. LOVE IT! Put that outside in kind of a focal point too! I would make it MUCH bigger!!!

How precious are they??? LOVE IT!!!

And of course, you CAN'T forget the medals!! SOOOOO IMPORTANT!!! I might even look into some trophies too!

Look how happy this little gold medalist is!!!

Not sure about this cake but it is pretty cute! I guess there are tons of things you could do but this is a good example!

OF COURSE... There HAS to be Potato Sack Races! That has to be one of the games... Every Kid loves it!!! You could even sew bags in the color of the Olympics too! It would be super easy!!! Just cut out a big rectangle and sew it up on three sides... DONE!

And races on the bouncy balls! This could even be a relay race with teams. Give each team the name of a country and do a fun relay game!!!

And the wheel barrow race... Always a great one! This could include the parents too!

Obviously, the options with this party theme are ENDLESS! The kinds of games, competitions, relays etc. - there are TONS! All of the kids would have a fantastic time! I would probably have t-shirts made with the Olympics symbol that said, "Seth's 2010 Summer Games" or something like that... As long as the weather is good, the kids are bound to have fun!

Until next time...

It's a Circus Party - Time to "Clown" Around!!!

2010-02-04T09:04:00.000-08:00

I just figured with all the GREAT feedback on the Mickey and Minnie Birthday Celebration post from Monday, I would go ahead and continue posting this week about fun and exciting ideas for children's birthday parties... So, today we are going to look at a Circus Themed Birthday Party. My boyfriend Joe came home Monday night talking about Animal Crackers and it became my inspiration for this post... I guess he had some at the office as a little treat and just hearing him talk about them brought back so many fun memories of my childhood. So, I found lots of great ideas for hosting a SUPER FUN Circus Party for your little "clowns..."

Doesn't this box of cookies just make you sooooo happy???

Look at all of this! Isn't it adorable? The invitation is precious! Love the little tickets too! You could dress your little "Clown" in an adorable Polka Dot and Striped costume... The little carnival game booths are adorable too! Love the old fashioned bags of cotton candy and peanuts too! The balloon arch is TOTALLY ACCEPTABLE in this application. Any other time, you KNOW I would say a HECK NO to the balloon arch!!! :) The little popcorn is actually cupcakes! WOW! ADORABLE!!! Love the snow cones too! And, apparently you can rent a Carousel shaped Bounce House! LOVE IT!!! The fresh lemonade with cute cups is great too! And those take home gifts are precious too! This is just all soooooo fun! I love it!

This one is great too! I love the clown on stilts! He is fantastic!!! Not a SCARY CLOWN!!! The balloon artist is great too! That cake is PHENOMENAL!!! LOVE IT!!! I also love that they set up games! So cute!!! So simple and so much fun for the kids... The clown cookies are pretty darn cute too! Also, something so simple but makes a HUGE statement!

This is fantastic too! I love the animal crackers boxes as take home gifts that have adorable personalized labels on them thanking the kids for coming to the party! That is so precious! Anyone could do that! Also, the old fashioned bags of popcorn and the peanuts are great too! The clown pinatas are cute too! Also, the little photo booth with the polka dot background and the red foam clown noses is THE BEST! I love that! Parents love to be able to take pictures home of their kids and this is a great fun and interactive way to do it...

I thought this was a SUPER CUTE more modern approach for a Circus Themed party invitation! OF COURSE, I LOVE LOVE LOVE this! I love anything different and modern and this is just tooooo cute! I love the Polaroid pictures of the little boy holding a big red balloon! This would be so fun and so easy to do! And wow! When people got them, they would LOVE THEM! Just had to share...

Isn't this a fantastic Circus tent? If you lived somewhere that had a park or somewhere where you have a big big yard, this would be AWESOME!!! SOOOOO COOL!!!!

A Circus Party! I love it! I think this would be another event that kids would love but adults would have a great time too! And again, we all know that's SUPER important! Until next time...

HOT NEW Scottsdale Restaurant hosts a "Magical" Children's Party featuring Wine AND Pixie Dust!!!

2010-02-01T11:36:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I had the ABSOLUTE JOY of doing a birthday party for Alex (4) and Talullah (2). Alex and T's parents (Rich and Julie) are the proud owners of Scottsdale's NEWEST HOT SPOT - 5th and Wine. It is a FANTASTIC new restaurant located at the corner of 5th Avenue and Marshall Way in Old Town Scottsdale. The food and wine are fantastic and who would have thought... It's the PERFECT place for a birthday party... But, not just a rockin' adults birthday party - a children's birthday party! BRILLIANT! 5th and Wine does have a gorgeous room at the front of the restaurant for private parties that I have utilized for birthday celebrations, meetings, wine tastings and many other things, but it also has a great patio in the back that is covered with sail shades. It allows in just enough sunlight for a great afternoon, but also provides just enough coverage if we happened to get a drop of unexpected rain in sunny Arizona.

For this particular event, we utilized the patio - VERY KID FRIENDLY! The chef, Steve B., created the PERFECT menu for the kids consisting of fried bologna and cheese sandwiches, tiny tots grilled cheese sandwiches, mini sliders, french fries and of course a wide variety juice boxes. For the adults, there was an assortment of fresh gourmet bruschetta, delicious antipasto trays and AN OPEN BAR! YES!!! You heard me right... The bartender was making everything from bloody marys and mimosas to margaritas and cosmopolitans. It was AWESOME! Chef Steve is great! He is always willing to take special requests... If there's something the party really prefers to serve, he is always willing to try it. For instance, I did a really upscale 40th birthday celebration at the beginning of the month and the birthday boy wanted a nice three-course plated dinner with Prime Rib. Now, 5th and Wine has a much more relaxed menu than Prime Rib, but Steve didn't hesitate. And not only did he graciously accept the special request, HE HIT IT OUT OF THE PARK! It was incredible!!! He has done this with other parties too! So nice to have such menu flexibility!

Scott Y. and Scott V., the restaurant managers are continuously AWESOME about allowing me to be SUPER CREATIVE with my designs for the events I have done at 5th and Wine. For this children's party, my vision was to really turn the patio into a Mickey and Minnie Wonderland. I can tell you from lots of experience in doing events at restaurants... THIS IS HUGE! Most places tell me this is what we have and we really can't change anything around. SO FRUSTRATING! But, not 5th and Wine. I always come in asking for something crazy and they are ALWAYS so obliging and ready to get out there and help me. It really is so refreshing! The patio at the restaurant is completely surrounded by buildings and is stanchioned off so it was perfect. The adults could relax with a cocktail and the kids could run wild and just have a blast!!! It really was the perfect venue for so many reasons... Take a look at all the fun stuff I did to make this a Simply Spectacular children's party!

This is the invitation that I created for the party. I really wanted to do something that was TOTALLY DIFFERENT and reflective of Mickey! I wanted it to be something people hadn't seen before and people loved it! They were a lot of fun! I pieced them together so they truly are hand made! Several parents actually came up to me and told me that their children asked to see the "Mickey Invitation" almost every day prior to the party. Soooo cute!!!

I found these great Mickey and Minnie Airwalker Balloons and tied them at the entrance of the patio. So, as the kids came in they were greeted by Mickey and Minnie... It got them soooo excited!

Here are some close up pictures of the balloons! They are 52" Tall so it was soooo cool that they were bigger than the kids! They all kept running up to give Mickey and Minnie big hugs!!! SOOOOO CUTE!!!

Ok... These are the kids tables! Aren't they soooo fun! I have a company that I use all the time for these! They are the perfect size for kids and worked PERFECTLY on the patio at 5th and Wine. They are draped in black linens with yellow runners and of course... RED CHAIRS! Then, red, black and yellow balloons tied to each chair. I set them up together and then the adults section was just to the left. So, the kids could take their little chairs and sit and eat and the parents were right there to watch them!

This was the birthday cake! Trish at "Icing on the Cake" created this masterpiece! It was a banana flavored cake with vanilla butter cream frosting! It was PRECIOUS! The Mickey and Minnie attached to the cake are actually piggy banks so the kids got to take them home!

And... of course we had to dress the kids in the Mickey and Minnie costumes. I am telling you... It MADE the party! They were ADORABLE! The costumes were pretty inexpensive and it made a huge impact. The kids loved it!

Of course, we couldn't leave big brother John out! He dressed as Sorcerer Mickey. He came with a gorgeous pristine face and with the incredible face painter we had, he turned into SCARY Sorcerer Mickey before the afternoon was over.

Tina Celle, an AMAZING photographer here in Phoenix also came to the party and set up a photo station. We had a white backdrop with lots of red, black and yellow balloons and then we had a big stack of Mickey and Minnie stuffed animals. The kids got to get their pictures taken. Some families even got great shots that they could even use for Christmas Cards... It was a really special touch. Tina was FANTASTIC with the kids and interacted with them the whole day. She captured some incredible shots that I will FOR SURE share with you once she sends them to me! Its tough to get great pictures at children's birthday parties and it is so worth it to have a photographer come so that you as the parents can just relax and know that at the end of the day, you have it all on film to look back at and remember that special time! So, call Tina! She is QUITE THE PRO!!! http://www.tinacelle.com/ or (480) 264-0977 YOU WILL LOVE HER!

We also worked with the Terry at Scottsdale Horse and Carriage. Ernie the Clydesdale and his beautiful carriage pulled up to the doors of 5th and Wine every 15 minutes to take the children and their families on a quick little ride through Old Town Scottsdale. It was AWESOME!!! This could be done for any event at 5th and Wine but I have to tell you... The kids loved it! They loved riding in the carriage like Cinderella and mostly petting Ernie the horse and giving him kisses!

Here are some pictures of the EXTREME face painting provided by Mr. Rainbow. He is BY FAR the best face painter I have ever worked with! I was blown away! I mean, look at these faces... If you click on the picture, it will blow up the picture so you can see the detail. I DEFINITELY recommend Mr. Rainbow! He will be coming with me to all the children's birthday parties I do from her on out... HE ROCKS!!!

Mr. Rainbow's son Jeremy is the EXTREME balloon maker! He is available too and look at his creations! WOW! The Buzz Lightyear back pack super shooter was incredible! And how about that Mickey and Minnie Mouse! WOW!!! The evil skeleton mask was pretty amazing too! What a team these two were... LOVED THEM!

The boys and girls both had personalized take home gifts that were OF COURSE Mickey and Minnie themed... They had darling little trinkets that the children just loved! They were super simple but were absolutely precious!

Then, to top it all off, I had my dear friend Erin Sweeney and her precious mother make THE CUTEST Mickey Mouse Rice Crispy Treat Pops! I bought one of these at Disneyland a few years ago and just thought it would be the most adorable take home treat for a kids birthday party! And they really were! Erin and her mother do the most UNBELIEVABLE cupcakes for me all the time and when I came to her with an unusual request, she was thrilled to help and completely outdid herself! They were cut out to look like Mickey and dipped in chocolate and covered in rainbow sprinkles! They were PERFECT! Something tells me Erin and her mother will be making these again VERY SOON!!!

These are the little thank you notes I designed for Alex and Talullah. They turned out super cute! They are individual fold over cards with the image on the front and they each have their own. Lots of fun...

So, Alex and Talullah's Mickey and Minnie Birthday Celebration was a HUGE SUCCESS thanks to sooooo many people who helped. Hopefully, this shows you AGAIN that thinking outside of the box can make for a SUPER FUN and SUPER MEMORABLE event! Even if it is a children's birthday party. Of course, you can always have it at Chuck E. Cheese, in your backyard or at a Bounce House, but why not venture out of your comfort zone and try something a little more non-traditional.

I can assure you that all the parents in attendance yesterday at 5th and Wine would assure you it was an afternoon not to be forgotten. It was soooooo much for ALL! And isn't that important??? Parents and kids should both have fun and 5th and Wine was the PERFECT spot to accomplish that! I guarantee you that the restaurant will be added to each of those parents repertoire as a place they can go alone for a quiet night out, a place they can take other couples that is sure to impress and MOST IMPORTANTLY a place they can take their kids and be assured that they will not only be welcomed at the front door but will all have a great time dining out as a family too!

If any of you readers are hosting a party in the future and need assistance, please feel free to contact me. Simply Social Event Design is always here to help with anything... I do anything from party/wedding invitations and day of coordination to complete design and coordination of any type of event. I have 10 year of experience in social events, fundraisers, corporate meetings and trainings and of course weddings. I love creativity and most of all love entertaining, so give me a call!

Until next time...

Cake Balls! Deliciously Addicting!!!

2010-01-29T19:53:00.001-08:00

So, today I am going to introduce you to something TRULY AMAZING! Hopefully, most of you haven't heard of these before and this will be just a great new surprise that will become one of those stock recipes that you have and use FOREVER and every time you make them, people will be completely BLOWN AWAY!!!

Are you ready...... CAKE BALLS!!! Pure deliciousness!!!

About a year ago, my friend Jessica Robbins brought these into work one day. She had them at a wedding shower and thought we all needed to experience them! BOY was she right... They were absolutely INCREDIBLE! If you like birthday cake the way I do, they were pure PERFECTION! And they were BEAUTIFUL too!

A cake ball is made by baking a cake (any kind of cake) and leaving it a tiny bit doughy... Don't cook it till its dry! Then, while the cake is still warm, you crumble it up into small pieces and put it in a food processor stirring in frosting (any kind of frosting that will pair well with the flavor of cake mix you have selected) until it is all mixed together. Once this step is done, you melt chocolate (either white, milk or dark chocolate). Then, using a melon baller or small scoop, you will create balls of the cake/frosting mixture. You will then dip the individual balls in the melted chocolate. You can then roll them in nuts, sprinkles, toffee or anything really or you could drizzle them with another type of chocolate and on wax paper to cool. They can be served as a small ball or you can also put a small Popsicle stick into them.

I am telling you... They are ABSOLUTELY delicious!

Robin Ankeny, a friend in Dallas has started her own company making Cake Balls to order, packaging them and shipping them all over the world! Neiman Marcus has even chosen to sell her products. She does a fantastic job of giving customers a great selection of delicious flavors and packages the cake balls beautifully! They are available in several different quantities and to be honest, they are pretty inexpensive for a gift that would make a HUGE IMPACT!

The reason I am blogging about these today... I think they would make a FANTASTIC wedding favor. You could just do even a box of 3-4 per person. How interesting right??? Who doesn't love cake and as I have mentioned a ton already, they are absolutely addictingly delicious! Your guests will love them and tell ALL their friends about the fantastic favor they received at your event! So, check it out! I PROMISE you will not be disappointed!!!

http://www.cakeballs.com/

This is Robin's BEAUTIFUL packaging! I am sure if you asked super nice she would even coordinate the ribbon to match your event colors...

This is Chocolate Cake dipped in White Chocolate and drizzled in Chocolate

This is Chocolate Cake dipped in Chocolate drizzled with Chocolate and topped with Toffee Crumbles! YUMMY!!!

This is a Chocolate Cake Dipped in White Chocolate with Orange food coloring and drizzled with White Chocolate. SOOOO CUTE! This could be done in lots of colors too!

This is Red Velvet Cake Dipped in White Chocolate! Great for a Wedding or Baby Shower or a wedding too!

ADORABLE!!! Great for a kids birthday party!!! LOVE THEM!!!

Chocolate Cake dipped in Strawberry Flavored Chocolate! BEAUTIFUL!!!

These are beautiful too!!! So elegant!

Here, they are shown on sticks! Aren't they great???

These are PRECIOUS TOO!!! How fun for Halloween? Maybe package them in a clear box... Or even cute for Thanksgiving?

Here is a more fancy presentation of them on sticks... Great for a wedding! LOVE IT!!!

And... How cute are these??? PRECIOUS!!!

Here's another one! These are each different and are shown with Cupcakes!

So... Cake Balls! What do you think??? Order some or if you are feeling creative, make them yourself! They are NOT hard... You will absolutely love them! Until next time...

A Kiss under the Wolf Moon!

2010-01-29T19:29:00.000-08:00

Today, I am in North Carolina working with my client on her wedding planning... It's SUPER COLD here and we are seeing little snow fluries outside! Kind of hard to have a bright and cheery spring wedding on the brain when we are all snuggled up in blankets trying to stay warm... But, we are managing. On a romantic note, tonight is a "Wolf Moon." Apparently, it is the day during the year where the moon is it biggest and brightest! My heart aches a little because I am in a state far far away from the man that brings sooooooo much brightness and warmth to my heart but North Carolina is beautiful and its very relaxing to be on the coast!! So, make sure you snuggle up to your main squeeze and make sure you kiss in the moonlight before this big bright moon fades away... Until next time...

A Picnic Wedding - Sooooooo Cute!

2010-01-27T15:45:00.001-08:00

I am currently working on a wedding in Willmington, North Carolina and am leaving tomorrow for the planning meeting. This couple is SUPER CUTE and is doing a really fun low-key wedding in the most GORGEOUS month in NC - MAY! She is really wanting to do something fun and out of the ordinary and is trying to be cost-conscious too! So, I have been doing research for quite a while trying to come up with something really GREAT for her! I think I have found some really fun things for her to consider this weekend... Just thought it might be fun to share them with you! When she was describing what she wanted, she said the wedding was going to be in their very luscious backyard, they wanted games and they wanted it to be really laid back!

So... I thought how fun and unexpected would it be to do a "Picnic Wedding..." So, that is what I am presenting her with tomorrow. I am thinking great blankets and pillows on the lawn - one for each couple or family... The guests will sit for the ceremony on the blankets and pillows... Once the wedding ceremony is over, the guests will move to the front yard for butler passed hors d'oeuvres... They will be similar to the ones I showed you yesterday. Fresh and organic!!! Then, guests will move back to the backyard where they will find picnic baskets with gourmet food items in them on their assigned blankets! There will be a beverage station with all sorts of juices, teas, lemonades and of course some great cocktails - all served in mason jars!

There will be lawn games setup in another area of the yard. There will also be a FANTASTIC photo booth setup with great and fun props with a clothsline hung for guests to post their pictures!

Of course, there will be a delicious sweets table... Not sure if she will want to do a wedding cake or if I will be able to sway her to do assorted fresh homemade pies... I LOVE THAT!!!

Isn't this precious??? I just LOVE IT!

Here are the many packaging options I am presenting her for the food presentation! They are all sooooooo fun!!!

These are the options I am giving her for flowers... She really wanted the wildflower look so I think she will love these!

Here are some fun options for beverages! They are all great, right??? I do these at events A LOT! They are so much fun and people just love how pretty they are!

Here are some examples of the games we will have setup. So much fun!!!

So.... We will see if she likes it. I am pretty confident that it will be a hit! The guests would love it for sure!!! Seriously.... How fun would this be! Willmington is the perfect setting for it and I think it will be great! Until next time...

Cheers to some FUN new Signature Cocktails!!!

2010-01-26T20:03:00.000-08:00

A "Signature Cocktail" is a fantastic way to add another personal touch to your wedding! It creates something for guests to talk about and definitely to remember your wedding by. It should be a cocktail that is reflective of you as a couple. Oftentimes, the bride will have a signature cocktail and so will the groom. This will appeal to both the men and women in attendance. I typically like to print really cute signs to place in frames at the bar so that guests can read the ingredients and get excited...

The options of signature cocktails are endless... I recommend doing some research online and picking a few that sound interesting and then taking a few evenings to try them out. It's a lot of fun and is a great activity to include the groom in... You know how the sometimes feel left out! The "alcohol portion" of the wedding planning is a GREAT place to include them! They actually enjoy that portion of it!

So, raise your glasses... And let's toast to some GREAT signature cocktails!

Pink Lemonade Granita Cocktail - Love that this features crushed ice... There is an amazing sour cherry cocktail at the new Modern Steak in Scottsdale, AZ that would be sooooo good too!

Any variation on the Mojito is great too! This is a Pink Grapefruit Mojito... Love the presentation in a wood box garnished with a mint leaf and a little flag with a cute little note attached...

This is a Cheeky Rose Cocktail! This is really really elegant! I love that it's garnished with fresh rosemary... Great for the spring but could be spectacular for a winter wedding too!

Now... I am NOT a girl who likes BLUE cocktails but I had to put one down... Blue Beach Lemonade... Probably the most acceptable blue cocktail out there!

This is known as the Apple Pie! This could be great anytime but how fun would it be for a summer wedding.... Maybe even a fourth of July wedding with a flag in it...

Of course we need a beachy cocktail with an umbrella in it! This drink is a tropical punch... Could be a million things but adorn a cocktail with an umbrella and guests are BOUND to have FUN!!!

The Champagne Cocktail... A timeless signature piece! Almost as good as a strand of pearls!!! Add any fruit (raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, blueberries) and it is just gorgeous and delicious!

Now... for the real thrill seekers... The Cucumber Cooler! This features sake! How fun is this???

And for the men in the crowd... How about a Ginger Mint Cocktail... This cocktail has an unexpected punch, one that is warmly welcomed by fans of spicy, full-flavored concoctions, and is sure to surprise everyone.

Of course... There's always the fantastic Mint Julep! A true southern classic! Gotta love it!

While in Aruba this past year, my boyfriend Joe discovered the "Dark and Stormy." It's a cocktail that combines Gosslin's Black Seal Rum and a Ginger Beer and is garnished with a lime! It has a spice but was still extremely refreshing! This is sure to be a crowd pleaser for all the men! And it's nice because it's something different... And, different is GOOD!

These are fun too but I particularly love the Cherry Limeade! Who doesn't have fond memories of a Sonic Drive-Thru Cherry Limeade! Add alcohol to it and you have a true WINNER!

Pretty Little Hors D'oeuvres - FRESH & FANCY!!!

2010-01-26T11:51:00.000-08:00

Let me just say right off the bat... This was a HORRIBLE idea to blog about yummy, gorgeous delicious presentations of hors d'oeuvres at LUNCHTIME! UGH! I am working on a little project for a bride today who is looking for some fun presentations of hors d'oeuvres. This is TOUGH! Hors d'oeuvres are a really hard thing to do WELL! There are an enormous amount of options of pre-fabricated, pre-packaged, frozen, non-impressive hors d'oeuvres out there that most of us see on a VERY regular basis... Crummy crab cakes, mediocre meatballs, salty satay's on a stick, disgusting dim sum.... I think you get the point! I have to tell you... The hors d'oeuvres you choose for your party set the tone for the whole night of feasting... If the hors d'oeuvres are terrible, there are pretty much two scenarios that are going to take place.

# 1. If your hors d'oeuvres are terrible, your guests are going to hit the bar even harder than they had already planned to do to drink to FORGET the terrible food you have chosen to serve them at the event that they have taken time out of their incredibly busy schedules to attend. Thus, if you have opted to choose a "bar package based on consumption" to save money, you are looking at a MUCH HIGHER BILL! YIKES! No one wants that to happen, right? So, please... Do us all a favor and serve some delicious hors d'oeuvres!

#2. Your guests are going to be talking about how bad the hors d'oeuvres are to all of the guests around them and that is just going to create an environment where people just aren't having fun. This is bound to lead to scenario # 1 happening. No one wants a bunch of drunk people at their event because they didn't eat because the food was bad... RIGHT?

Ok... I might have gotten a little carried away with the scenarios but I can tell you that I have seen both happen numerous times and it's just not fun! Hors d'oeuvres are a great thing to impress with! They are small thus INEXPENSIVE! You can order lots of them and make your guests super happy! So, do your research or just pick some from below and you are sure to have a fun evening!

This bride specifically is looking for items that are FRESH!!! What a concept, right??? So, she asked me to do some research for her so that we can present the catering company with some options that might be things people have seen before but have a fun new little twist on them. So, here is what I found... Hope you have had lunch already... :)

Aren't these personalized wooden spoons adorable? I love these! You could use these for soooo many things and what a statement! Here we have several different caviar's served with a dollop of creme fraiche on a wooden spoon. Spectacular!!!

This is kind of a deconstructed sushi - rice, sushi and cucumber wrapped in seaweed served in a little bento box. Adorable! Also, it gives your guests something substantial but also gives them something to eat it in without spilling or making a mess - and it's cool cause it's not served on a plate! Think outside the box... PLEASE!!! It's so fun!

This is great too! A presentation served on a grilled artichoke leaf and topped the crab salad with some caviar and a little flower. GORGEOUS!!!

Ok... I absolutely love this! This is watermelon topped with Feta Cheese Crumbles and fresh mint. I can attest that this is absolutely delicious! You can also present this on a skewer, one of those wooden spoons or even just like this...

And how about caprese skewers... EVERYONE loves a caprese salad! But, it's so hard to eat when not plated! Here is the perfect option! LOVE IT!

This is lots of fun too! To the left... Three types of soup served in fall colors - Beet Soup, Butternut Squash, and Sweet Pea Soup - served in shooters! Sooo cute! Then in the center we have little loaves of bread with a dip in it and fresh vegetables in the dip! It's all about creative presentations... Such great colors!

I LOVE the mini sliders! Who doesn't love sliders... The pickle through the skewer is great too!

These little finger ring plates are pretty fantastic too! HOW FUN!!!

What a great idea of a presentation for a ceviche! Another item people love but is sooooo hard to serve. I have seen it in shooters but this is a lot of fun too!

Ok, I love this sooooo much! I of course love a good crudite just as much as all of you but I am SOOOOO SICK of its traditional presentation! So, how about this! Get little clear glass cups (you might could even use votive holders too) and fill the bottom with ranch dressing and bunch up smaller portions of the vegetables traditionally seen on a crudite and butler pass them! GENIUS!!! I LOVE THIS!!!

This is a much prettier presentation of "pigs in a blanket!" I know we all love them but how much more appealing is this!

This is a gorgeous Asian inspired crab cake! So much more appealing than the frozen ones... It's gotta be fresh or it JUST WON'T DO!!!

And, end your event with these! Butler pass little espressos with little sugar rubbed donuts hanging from the stir sticks! This could even be passed as the cake is being served. You could have a variety of flavors too... SO ADORABLE!!!

So, are you hungry? Do you want to have an hors d'oeuvres party? Are you COMPLETELY CONVINCED that fun FRESH hors d'oeuvres are the way to go.... I SURE HOPE SO!!! For all your guests sake!!! Until next time...

Bohemian Chic - Love in Nature

2010-01-22T19:32:00.001-08:00

One of the most lovely themes for a wedding is bohemian chic. Its is all about combining vintage pieces, which hold memories and giving them new life so they can carry on building memories. Its all about romantic flowing fabrics, simple traditional flowers mixed with natural colors, natural settings and just an all-around feeling of romance in nature!

The first thing to think about for a bohemian chic wedding is the location. It should definitely be outdoors in an unspoiled natural setting. A clearing in a forest, a public park, or even a backyard could all be terrific options. Another idea would be a field alongside a river or overlooking a lake. Avoid places that are too manicured or any that feel like they are too much a part of the modern world (in other words, nothing with a view of a parking lot!).

As with any type of wedding, the bridal attire will help to set the tone. The ideal bohemian chic wedding gown is flowing, feminine, and ethereal. Fabrics such as chiffon or English net would be lovely. Look for styles such as empire waist gowns with handmade fabric flowers or petals. Soft natural colors like pale ivory or a tea-dyed shade of netting would be preferable to a bright dyed white gown. Accent the bridal gown with handcrafted bridal jewelry and a long plain veil. Bridal jewelry that is handcrafted with organically shaped elements such as keshi pearls would be wonderful, as would wedding jewelry in a color such as almond or pale rose.The bride should wear her hair in a natural looking style (which is not to say that it should not be professional styled). For long hair, style the hair into flowing waves, with the front pulled back and the rest worn cascading down over the shoulders. If short hair is more your style, a little pixie haircut would be adorable for a bohemian chic wedding. The best hairpieces will either be wreaths or little bridal headbands.

Flowers will play an important role in creating the desired effect for your wedding. They should definitely be flowers with more of a wild, uncultivated appearance. Wildflowers, flowing ivy, and garden roses would all be beautiful. For the bouquets, think about a loosely gathered arrangement of blooms with long flowing greens. Other additions could include natural elements such as stalks of wheat, berries, and seed pods. Long pretty ribbons in soft colors like mauve and sage will add to the bohemian effect.

The ceremony décor at a bohemian chic wedding should include some sort of earthy structure to serve as a focal point in lieu of a traditional altar. Imagine something along the lines of an arbor that is handcrafted with sticks and branches. Wind vines and flowers around it for the perfect frame under which to exchange your wedding vows.

A bohemian style wedding can remain chic and stylish while celebrating the natural beauty of nature. It is a terrific inspiration for the wedding design of anyone who has a love of the great outdoors and Mother Nature.

I think this is a lot of fun! I think it is very comforting! It makes me think of the south... It makes me think of my aunt and uncles gorgeous wedding at a plantation in Mississippi. I just love how warming and snuggly it feels! I think this is a great theme for someone who wants to do something really special but doesn't want it to feel like too much! I think it's perfect for the fall but could work nicely in the spring too! I love that they utilized a barn and hung huge curtains at the entrance. I love that place cards are rosemary pots and the rosemary was incorporated at the menu card too. How fun are these wood wedding invitations!

The wedding sign is great too... "Happily Ever After Starts Here..." So sweet! I love the jam jars that they gave as wedding favors - the jars read "Spread the Love" - SOOOOO CUTE! I love the reception setup too! GORGEOUS! I love the table that they setup outside and its so romantic that they hung mason jars from the trees with candles in them. Love the dandelion in a jar with a note that says "Wish!" I would love to have this at the sign-in book and allow guests to write a "wish" to the couple. Adorable! Isn't that bouquet amazing?? That was created by one of my favorite florists in Phoenix - Le Fleur Boutique! Nice work Jane and Laurie! GORGEOUS!!! I love that there is a basket of wraps because the weather was a little chilly and the basket reads, "Please take a shawl and snuggle!" Adorable!

I hope you have enjoyed this week of "theme weddings" as much as I have! I think it was so much fun! It made us all step outside of the box and really just have fun! Until next time...

"An Old Hollywood Romance"

2010-01-21T19:52:00.001-08:00

What bride doesn't want to feel like a movie star? An "Old Hollywood Romance" wedding theme is just the ticket to make you feel like an old Hollywood couple that will soak up every moment of being in the spotlight on your big day! This grandiose theme will give an elegant and fun style to your wedding and will create an atmosphere or glamour and romance for all of your guests... Think about old-fashioned Hollywood, and the excitement of the red carpet. After all, if there's any day you should act like a star, it's your wedding day!

For the attire, a bride should look for bias-cut dress with a v-neck and a fish-tail hem. Designers to look at include Jenny Packham, Badgley Mischka, Amy Michaelson, and Monique Lhuillier. Satin is a classic fabric, and chandelier earrings are a must. The Groom and Groomsemen should lean towards Black tie or white tie – go for the classic Fred Aistaire look, complete with sharp, pressed clothes and neat haircut.

The wedding colors should consist of silver, white, black, red and/or blush pink.

You'll want to look for classic flowers, such as roses, peonies, carnations and lilies. Try arrangements composed of just one flower, such as all rose bridesmaids' bouquets, or an elegant bunch of calla lilies for the bride. Consider wearing a flower in your hair!

A swing band is perfect for this type of wedding. You could also hire a dance instructor to teach your guests how to do the lindy hop and the Charleston – perhaps at the rehearsal dinner.

For your invitations, look for ones that echo your theme! Remember, the invitation sets the tone for your ENTIRE event! It should be a catalyst to all the fun your guests should expect on your special day!

An old art deco movie theater, particularly if it has a large lobby would be the perfect setting. If you don’t have one of these in your town, look for an old-fashioned formal restaurant or supper club, like the 21 Club, or a grand ballroom at a hotel.

In true movie star fashion, you and your new husband should be whisked away in a vintage Rolls Royce Phantom convertible. Or, just enjoy being chauffeured in a limousine.

Try and incorporate some special touches for this glamorous occasion. For example, name your tables after classic Hollywood stars, or romantic movies. Give your bridesmaids high quality feather boas. Consider wearing a feather and rhinestone hair accessory, a la Josephine Baker. If you're renting your dance floor, ask for black and white checkered. Arrange to have a fireworks display during your wedding. In true Hollywood fashion, have your wedding ceremony outside and time the fireworks display to explode at the moment you and your groom seal your wedding vows with a kiss! Talk about a show-stopper!!!

This is the perfect example of an "Old Hollywood Romance!" A vintage automobile, a gorgeous gown... I love that the invitation looks like an old movie poster with a vintage movie ticket. How adorable are the silk gloves with the bow at the wrist... The champagne tower is spectacular! I just love how classic and timeless it is...

If you want modernize the "old Hollywood romance" this would be a great option... I love this too! I like that it has modern touches but still remains timeless and classic. I love the clean elegance of the invitation. I love the damask and ribbon on the cake! LOVE LOVE LOVE the white carnation bouquet wrapped in black satin ribbon. I love that they used a swag of fabric on the ceiling to create a tent-like feel but much more dramatic. I love the black lamps with the gorgeous bunch of flowers at the base.... So ultra MOD! I also love that the venue pictured has a black and white checkered floor. What a great touch!

I think you will agree that this is really quite fun! It's over the top but not really OVER THE TOP! It is just ultra classy and timeless. It takes you back to another time. Who among us hasn’t wished we had the gamine appeal of Audry Hepburn, the regal refinement of Grace Kelly, or the siren magnetism of Veronica Lake? Many modern brides are drawing wedding inspiration from “Old Hollywood”, adopting the hair and makeup techniques of glamorous starlets like Sophia Loren, Katherine Hepburn, and Ingrid Bergman. These famous icons inspire recreations of the 1950s diva style that has been so prevalent on the red carpet lately. Today’s brides are eagerly following the trend, wanting to reflect a woman who is gorgeous and feminine, yet strong and independent. So, embrace the glamour and the beauty and consider it! Until next time... In the words of the great Norma Desmond, "I am ready for my close-up!"

"Love is like a Carnival Ride"

2010-01-20T14:11:00.000-08:00

Isn't it though... Isn't great love like a Carnival Ride? So much anticipation and then just a rush of adrenaline and happiness! Why not celebration your nuptials with a Carnival...

Now, this theme is so far over the top... I don't even know where to begin except that I AM ABSOLUTELY OBSESSED! Look at this picture! Who wouldn't love this??? It's just so WHIMSICAL!!! I am so excited about it that I have already called a Carnival Ride rental company to see how much it costs to rent carnival rides... I am so convinced that you all are going to love it so much that one of you is going to have a Carnival Wedding! :) There is something about it! Who wouldn't love attending this wedding? You could be SURE your guests would talk about it FOREVER!!!

Ok... Here is the plan! In a perfect world, I would recommend having a morning wedding. Have it small and intimate in a VERY ROMANTIC location and have a brunch after the ceremony. Then, allow your guests to rest and you and the groom to rest cause god knows you haven't rested in weeks... Then, find a great location and set up your Carnival. That evening, have a huge blowout Carnival reception. That way, you can invite all the guests you want to. Have carnival games made or if you are so creatively inclined, make them yourself! We will see what the cost comes back as on the Ferris Wheel... GOSH, I hope it's cheap! I mean, the options with this are endless! I would recommend having an INCREDIBLE band. Maybe a bluegrass band... If you could find a red and white striped carnival tent, I would put that up in the yard... If not, white will work too. You could even erect four tall wood poles and string big light bulbs across the eating area too... That would be GORGEOUS! Then, put super colorful tablecloths on the tables and have wood folding chairs... Then, put your carnival games around the perimeter of the party. Have a cotton candy machine, maybe a funnel cake station, an ice cream cart, maybe some roasted corn on the cob... Sliders and hot dogs... SERIOUSLY!!! This would be the party of the CENTURY!!!

Look at this... This is the epitome of ROMANCE to me! I just love how HAPPY it makes me!!! SO MUCH FUN!

Here is one invitation option. I love this color combination! Red and Aqua... GORGEOUS. I love the admission tickets. So cute!

Here is another one. This one is adorable too!

I love that they used tickets stacked on the center of the tables with a flower pot on top... So adorable! I would definitely recommend putting all your servers in matching outfits and maybe your game / ride attendants in matching outfits too!

Look at this candy station! Adorable! I love the aqua table cloths and the red napkins folded at each place setting. I also love the lollipops! It's the PERFECT wedding favor! I would print adorable little notes that read, "I'm a sucker for a happy ending!" SOOO CUTE!!!

Look at these adorable french fries wrapped in red and white striped paper... I also love the gourmet hot dogs and the yummy mini hamburgers. I would do hamburgers, chicken sandwiches and sloppy joes but make them super deliciously GOURMET! Use gorgonzola cheese or sharp cheddar with the burgers and mozzarella with the chicken... YUMMY!!!

This picture is fantastic! LOVE IT!!

Not sure I recommend live goldfish... Haven't had good experiences with live fish at events but I love the idea of having a balloon artist! The kids would love it! That's honestly the BEST PART of this kind of wedding... It is SOOOOO kid friendly! The kids would be totally entertained which would mean the adults would be having a blast!

This is just so precious!!! I would add a big red bow to the aqua dresses though! Just that little extra touch!!

I love this! Great red shoes that are actually comfortable! And the bouquet of tickets! Adorable!

I would DEFINITELY recommend the sparklers exit for the bride and groom! This is just soooooo romantic and whimsical!

The picture booth is adorable too! Your guests could take home cute pics of each other and a copy could be left for you as a keepsake. Combine them in a photo album and keep them forever to remember your special day! LOVE IT!!!

Another great picture of carnival games... LOVE IT!

Now... I know this is so far OVER THE TOP but seriously??? Isn't this the cutest thing ever? If you are brave enough to have a Carnival Wedding, you are DEFINITELY brave enough to wear this as your wedding dress... SOOOOO FUN!!! So different and memorable! I LOVE IT! Talk about whimsical!!!

Looking back on your childhood, who does not have a memory of a carousel or a ferris wheel??? Such a great memory! Such a great feeling... Just fills me with so much cheer! Why not break the mold of a traditional stuffy wedding and SHOCK the heck out of your guests with this surprise... It would be a night that no one would EVER FORGET! Make the theme, "Love is like a Carnival Ride" or "Come fall in love with us again at a Carnival..." Until next time...

"A Nautical Theme" - Can you feel the ocean breezes yet???

2010-01-19T14:46:00.001-08:00

If you love taking romantic walks on the beach, letting the wind blow against your hair or playing in the sand—the Nautical wedding theme is for you! You could get married on a yacht, private sailboat, dock or even in front of lighthouse! Just make sure you choose the appropriate venue that fits you and your grooms personality. This will allow your guests to get a different feel for how adventurous you are as a couple.

Picking that special nautical gown can be tricky... Make sure you pick something simple and sleek. You could pick a simple white or ivory low back dress that fits you perfectly goes well with the romantic nautical theme. I love to add big 3 - 4" double-faced satin ribbon around the waist in a coordinating color on brides that are having a nautical wedding. It is absolutely adorable and so much fun! Also, make sure your jewelry is simple—you could wear some nice pearls, perfect for the nautical splendor theme. Try to find something really classic maybe even a dress with polka dots on it... I have shown you a great polka dot dress that J Crew has available. So fun and so nautical! LOVE IT!!!

Your groom could get away with A LOT more than you! I have seen grooms and groomsmen in khaki suits, navy suits, grey suits, linen suits, linen pants and short sleeve shirts, etc.

When planning a nautical theme wedding, you definitely want to make sure you spruce things up with some awesome decorations. You can incorporate seashells, colored linens (red, white, blue, yellow, green...) burlap or tan linens, sail boats, sailing flags and sails with your initials on them. These decorations will make it romantic but fun!

When choosing your music for your wedding, think beach-side or romantic ocean view! Think really lively and fun beach side tunes! Maybe a great guitarist or even steel drums...

Don’t forget about your invitations! Try sending out invitations with a nautical design or have your invites designed as a boat ticket for your “special” trip!! This will truly catch your wedding guests off guard but make your wedding ceremony an unforgettable memory!

Here are three different looks for a "Nautical Themed Wedding!" They are all very tasteful but definitely set the scene for your guests! So much fun!!! Makes me want to charter a boat and just sail all day! Only 7 more weeks until I visit San Diego and I am definitely ready for the water now!!!

"Anchors Away" is so much fun! I stuck with the Navy and White look for this. Notice the polka dot wedding dress - that is from J Crew. The bridesmaids dresses are too! Love the flowers with the blue center too! So precious! The navy and white damask flower girl dress is precious! How fun and so different! The beach tote with navy and white striped bow might be my favorite! So cute!!! The shoe is a Christian Louboutin and would be cute for all the girls... The guys are just in khaki pants and navy blue sport coats... I would do a periwinkle blue shirt with a navy and white striped tie and the coat... And just let them wear boat shoes... Comfortable and casual! The girls could even just wear flip flops...

Okay... This one is TOTALLY my favorite!!! I love this! I love all the bright blues, the navy blues, the yellows and the reds! LOVE IT! SO CLASSY! Do a big bold cobalt and white striped linen on the tables and accent with white china and bright red napkins! Hang sailing flags criss-cross across your event space. It will be so cool! Keep your invitation really clean and simple. I love the navy cardstock with the white thermography and the big red stripe at the top! Serve crab at the tables and put crab mallets with red and blue ribbon attached. You can have the mallets personalized with you and your grooms name and the wedding date. That way, guests can take them home. That could be your favor... Type some sort of cute thank-you note and attach it to the mallot. It will be adorable and the guests will love it!!! Dress the groom and groomsmen in navy blue suits with white shirts and red and blue striped ties... SO FUN! And this shoe... It is Guiseppe Zanotti T-Strap Peep-Toe pump in navy and white with a red heel and a red toe. SOOOOOOOO CUTE!!! How fun for your "All-American Wedding!" Have a really simple white cake and dress it with red and navy ribbon and bows... PRECIOUS!!!

"Come Sail Away" is so cheery! I love the navy and yellow! This is one of those wedding dresses I would tie a big sash of ribbon around. I would get a 4" double-faced satin ribbon and I would start out in the front - wrap it around to the back and criss-cross it and bring it back around to the front and tie a big loose draping bow at her side and let it hang long. It would be gorgeous! Especially if the bridal bouquet is wrapped in navy ribbon... Dress the men in a navy suit and a white shirt and accent with this navy and yellow striped tie. Wrap the centerpieces in navy and white striped grossgrain ribbon. You can use any white flower you want to. I would stick with navy linens and yellow napkins folded with the menu card tucked down in the napkin fold... So simple yet so classy! Dress the bridesmaids in yellow! LOVE IT!!! Use chivari chairs with yellow cushions... And definitely keep the cake simple... Maybe hang yellow and navy flags behind it at all different heights... It would create a great backdrop for your white cake! You could even put some great yellow flowers on top of the cake... And if you didn't want just plain white, you could accent with navy ribbon or beading at the base of each cake layer. Just a thought... The shoe is a d'Orsay Christian Louboutin in white and the big bow on top is trimmed in Navy! SO PRECIOUS!!! LOVE IT ALL!

So, today we looked at a Nautical theme! Not too crazy, right??? I think it is a lot of fun! This would be so much fun for a beach wedding, a wedding in the summer, a 4th of July wedding or a memorial / labor day wedding!

It's just very lighthearted and fun! I think your guests would have a great time and there are so many fun things you could do! Have old coke bottles passed during your cocktail hour or even at your ceremony with red and white striped straws... Have ice cream cones butler passed while guests are dancing... SO FUN!

It's all just so lighthearted and fun! Your guests would have a great time and would definitely remember your "nautical themed wedding" for many years to come! So, consider it!!! Until next time... Here's to "Smooth Sailing" for the remainder of this week! :)

Reviving Versailles - "A Marie Antoinette Wedding"

2010-01-18T13:57:00.001-08:00

A few weeks ago, we talked about having a "theme" for a wedding to set the scene, create an ambiance and a look for all the decor and many touches needed to bring it all to life. When I talked about this, it was merely for me as a designer to have something to cling to and was not really meant to mean your wedding has to have a "theme" per se... However, I do think "theme weddings" are a lot of fun! So, this week we are going to look at 5 different wedding themes! Now, let me just say... If you are going to have a true "theme" for your wedding, it better be WWWWAAAAAYYYYY OVER THE TOP! You'd better really knock it out of the park or else... It could just be down right WEIRD! So, this week we are going to take it ALL THE WAY! I am going to show you some really fun ideas... Now, I know lots of you will think it is way too much but just try to have fun with it...

Today, we are Reviving Versailles with a "Marie Antoinette Wedding." A lavish, once-in-a-lifetime party, dripping in fab frocks, luxurious linens, towering florals and diamonds? YES! I AM IN!!! I have put together two story boards for you today that feature GORGEOUS Marie Antoinette looks... For the color palate, we will focus on the immense range of neutrals on the pastel end of the wheel for our base: porcelain, biscuit, pale pink, peach, oyster, pearl. We will accent with frothy, feminine colors that aren’t oversaturated: salmon, dusty rose, coffee, celadon.

For the linens, we will use silky damasks in two or more layers along with lace... MY FAVORITE! The other must-haves: feathers (look at vintage shoe clips, hair embellishments, fans, centerpieces, boutonnieres, bouquet collars). Chunky, vintage-style jewelry (chandelier earrings, sparkling chokers). Satin ribbons for lovely necks, bouquet wraps and stationery. Roses and peonies in your rich neutral palette (above).

Gold chargers, luxury napkins folded into fleur-de-lis, silk fans opened on a plate with a handwritten guest tag woven between the spokes, rose topiaries on the tables, corded or braided edging in ivory or gold, letter pressed gold monograms, parasols, satin bows, gloves and ruffles. Oh... COME ON! It's gorgeous!!! You know it is!!!

Seriously... Look at this! WOW! It is gorgeous!!! I absolutely love this wedding dress!!! I would definitely put a large diamond brooch on the satin ribbon wrap... And some great chandelier earrings! A silk ivory linen on the table with a lace overlay and gold china! FOR SURE! Look at this cake! WOW!!! Can you imagine???

Ok.... This I LOVE TOO! WOW!!! So much pink but it is fantastic! I love the dress with the little accent of pink and the adorable Christian Louboutin pink platform pumps! This cake is EVEN MORE spectacular! OH MY GOSH!!! And box up the little pink macaroons... ADORABLE and sooooo glamorous!

And now... FOR THE BIG FINISH!!! So, if you are going to have a wedding of this caliber - YOU HAVE TO HAVE ONE HECK OF A LOCATION! And... That location has been found!!! I came across this place in my research and it BLEW ME AWAY!!! The Los Angeles Theatre! WOW! WOW! WOW!!! I didn't even know this place existed!!! It is SPECTACULAR!!! Apparently, it is not in the best neighborhood but the cost to rent it is really really low. And what a statement! Take a look...

This is the lobby and if it were me, I would do the ceremony here! I would set all the chairs at the base of the stairs and have the bride cascade down the stairs in her GORGEOUS gown! Talk about some INCREDIBLE pictures! It would be absolutely STUNNING!!!

Here is the view from a distance!

UGH!!! This takes my breath away! WOW!!! Here comes the bride!!! HERE COMES THE TEARS!!!

This is the grand staircase into the ballroom! The ballroom would be the location for the reception! AMAZING!!! Just imagine all those gorgeous linens and flowers in this room... What a sight...

The ballroom! WOW! Look at the original wood floors! AMAZING! All those gorgeous pastels in there... Lots of candlelight! I just can't imagine how gorgeous this would be!

So... are you convinced that Reviving Versailles is a great idea... I SURE AM! I had lots of fun with this one... And, how excited was I to find the Los Angeles Theatre... UNBELIEVABLE!!! Until next time...

Pink and Navy

2010-01-15T14:13:00.000-08:00

Well... It seems this week has been the week for road blocks to get in my way to blog... Friday, I had all my pictures loaded to blog about and got home Friday night to write and my Internet connection was down! BUMMER!!!! So, it is finally back up and running and I have been dreaming "Pink and Navy" since Friday! I have had so much fun with this one... There were lots of great ideas out there for Pink and Navy and I did the blog a little different today. I put together three story boards of my own that feature "Pink and Navy." I think they are lots of fun and will definitely cheer you up and make you smile! Pink is my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE COLOR and I love all of these!!! Hope you will too!!!

Here is Look # 1. Love the Christian Louboutin platform peep toe slingback. So cute! The flowergirl dress is pretty adorable too! I found a great pink and navy striped bag too that would be a fantastic welcome bag for your out of town guests. It is available at Callie Baby - www.calliebaby.com and is priced really well at $23.00. You could have it embroidered or just create a cute little tag to attach for your guests. LOVE IT! I would use the navy lamour linen and use the fuchsia linen as an accent or maybe an overlay. Maybe just napkins... Keep this look all just really simple and elegant! So fun!!!

Okay... I love this! This is so much fun for a spring or summer wedding. Use the navy linen as your floor length linen and put the navy polka dot runner on top of it. Then use the fuchsia napkin tied with a great navy ribbon... Pass Sofia Champagne in the can with pink straws and try and find a navy and white polka dot tray. ADORABLE! Dress your groom and groomsmen in khaki or navy suits and use a navy polka dot tie for the groom and maybe try and find pink and white polka dot ties for the groomsmen. The flowergirl and bridesmaids dresses are AWESOME!!!! RIGHT??? The bridesmaids dresses are from J Crew! Again, isn't it great that they have such fun things??? Have them carry really simple white flowers??? Love how these kind of play into the polka dot theme... I would wrap them in fuchsia pink double faced satin ribbon! And this invitation is great too! Lots of fun! And how about that pink and navy personalize stamp?? AMAZING CAKE!!! So cute!

This is a great look too! I would use the navy and white striped floor length linen with fuchsia napkins and fruitwood chivari chairs with fuchsia chair pads. So pretty! Put an amazing fuchsia floral arrangement on the tables... Dress your groomsmen and groom in a great navy pinstripe suit! They will all look soooo dapper! And accent with a great pink striped tie! Dress your bridesmaids in either solid navy or solid fuchsia and carry a multi-toned pink bouquet wrapped in navy double-faced satin ribbon! I personally would put a GREAT pink shoe with it too! Keep your invitation simple! Love this one shown! I would do it in a navy envelope and line it in a great pink print and have the calligraphy written in white. It will be stunning! On your cake, do some great pink and white ribbon with a 3" navy ribbon border underneath and accent your cake table with a pink and navy candy station! So cute!!!

So, has this brightened your day! I know it has brightened mine! Nothing makes me happier than the color pink! I have seen it a lot with either brown or black but I REALLY LIKE IT with navy. I just think it adds a whole new fun angle on a color that is just sooooo happy! It would be great for a spring or summer wedding in a very lush environment. Great for a backyard wedding or a wedding at the beach...

So, this is the end of our journey through "5 Days of Color!" I hope you enjoyed seeing some new things and that there were some ideas that really caught your eye! It's so fun to find new ideas and I hope that with each season I can bring you some new ideas for color combinations! Until next time...

You are now in the presence of Royalty!

2010-01-14T14:12:00.000-08:00

Today we look at Eggplant, Lavender and Chartreuse. I am really excited about this new trend. I think it is going to give a fresh new face to the green we all love. I think sage green and brown have been so over-saturated and pink and brown and tiffany blue and brown are so tired! I honestly am SOOO BORED! So, when I did a wedding in New York a month ago and the bride asked me to do something new that hadn't been seen much lately, I thought of eggplant, lavender and chartreuse. I have to tell you that this burst of inspiration came from her telling me that just because her wedding was smack in the middle of Christmas and Hanukkah, she was absolutely NOT INTERESTED in anything holiday related. In fact, she almost wanted a fall or spring feel! So, this is where this glorious combination came from! I did lots of research and found lots of great things so I decided that it was going to be one of five new trends I was going to try to use lots of in 2010! So far, I have had lots of interest in it and brides are loving it! So, we will see what you think...

Purple is the color of royalty. It's a mysterious color associated with both nobility and spirituality. The opposites of hot red and cool blue combine to create this intriguing color. And that it is... Purple has a special, almost sacred place in nature: lavender, orchid, lilac, and violet flowers are often delicate and considered precious. Because purple is derived from the mixing of a strong warm and strong cool color it has both warm and cool properties.

Deep or bright purples suggest riches while lighter purples are more romantic and delicate. Use redder purples for a warmer color scheme or the bluer purples to cool down.

Green and purple can be a striking combination in deep or bright jewel tones or use lighter shades for a cheerful, springlike feel.

Green is the color of nature. It symbolizes growth, harmony, freshness, and fertility. Green has strong emotional correspondence with safety. Green has great healing power. It is the most restful color for the human eye; it can improve vision. Green suggests stability and endurance.

All of these aspects combined really provide a rich palate that is sure to please not only the couple but the guests too! So, take a look! Enjoy! And sit up straight... You are now in the presence of royalty!

This is a gorgeous color palate from La Tavola! WOW! I would do the Dark Eggplant as your floor length linen and the lighter as your overlay and then accent with the chartreuse as your napkin. Either tie a great eggplant bow around it or even just fold it and place it under a clear glass gold beaded charger...

Then, pair it with this gorgeous centerpiece in a chocolate brown wax vase! STUNNING! LOVE IT!!! We used this as an inspiration for the flowers for the wedding in New York City. They are shown below. We ended up adding more green to the arrangement. SO PRETTY!

You can either use Ivory candles or just votives or both! Candlelight is amazing and personally I don't think you can ever have too much of it!

This is a great example of the eggplant and chartreuse together! Great menu cards!!!

LOVE THIS!

Love this story board! Mostly, I love the chivari chairs with the great eggplant bow through the back of the chair! The shoe is pretty adorable too!

OKAY!!! I LOVE THIS! This is a HUGE statement in a room with very little cost involved. There are several people that might be able to help you do this... You will have to talk to a lighting company, or your DJ might be able to do it, or if you are getting married at a hotel you can talk to the Audio Visual Department. This is a GOBO light. Basically, they will make a die cut of the image or text you want lit on the wall. They place it in front of the light and it shines up on the wall! HOW GREAT DOES THAT LOOK??? Accent the area with huge Chinese paper lanterns in your colors!!! LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!!!

GORGEOUS CAKE!!!!

Here is another little story board with a great purple cake and the flowers from above!

SO PRETTY!!!

Now... If you are feeling SUPER REGAL, I think you should consider this INCREDIBLE brocade damask linen! WOW! What a statement! I love it!!!

Then, use this as your cake! GORGEOUS!!!

And if you are SUPER BRAVE, wear this INCREDIBLE eggplant wedding gown! WOW!!! WOW!!! WOW!!!

Precious bridesmaids dress! Love the simple purple for the groom too! The flowers are pretty spectacular too!

Just another great board! Love the flowers at the top!!!

This is great too! Look at these little individual cakes set on purple china!!! And the invitation is great too! The flower girl dress is adorable!

I LOVE THIS!!! This is just an addition to the one above! Love the china and the flowers! Just put this with a green linen. GORGEOUS!!!

GORGEOUS COLOR!!! WOW!!!

Love this cake again!!! And the centerpieces are incredible!!! WOW

On December 13, 2009, I was fortunate enough to do a wedding in New York City at the Mandarin Oriental! It really was a dream! As many of you know, I have always dreamed of living in the city but recently realized that that is a dream of the past and that I will just visit NYC several times a year and hope that I am lucky enough to work there some! So, when my client called and said that her daughter was getting married in NYC and that she wanted me to do the wedding, I was THRILLED! They chose the Mandarin as their ceremony and reception location. I was lucky enough to work with Leah Silberman - the Senior Catering Executive! SHE WAS UNBELIEVABLE! HUGE CHEERS TO LEAH! She was a lifesaver for me! The bride took my suggestion and used the colors we are looking at today! She loved them! They TOTALLY worked in that room. It was a brunch wedding during the holidays so the colors were great because they had NOTHING to do with the holidays - which is what the bride wanted. Just another example of what you can do with these gorgeous colors... More to come on the NYC wedding when I actually get the professional pictures back! Can't wait...

So, this is the ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS cake that Sylvia Weinstock and I came up with. The bride wanted something really simple and Sylvia took our ideas and truly made a masterpiece. The pictures don't do it justice. The colors were so rich and vibrant. It was iced in butter cream and the green fondant ribbon trim was perfect. Then, Sylvia made the most beautiful sugar flowers I have EVER seen! The wedding guests could not believe they were not real! I also attached a close-up shot so you can see the intricate details! UNBELIEVABLE!!!

Look at this! Even the leaves looked real! WOW! Sylvia is quite the talent! It was such a dream to work with her! I have to tell you... I have ALWAYS dreamed of working with her and it was all I dreamed of! She left me a voicemail one day and I STILL have it saved on my phone! Kind of like a celebrity called me personally! Well, she is a celebrity in the cake world! I hope to work with her again someday!!!

Eggplant, Lavender and Chartreuse! GORGEOUS! I am not really a purple person but I have to tell you - I really do like this combination! I just think it is so fresh!!! And sooooo different! I have seen enough pink and green, enough ivory, white and green and enough green and brown to last me a lifetime!!! So, this new palate is such a breath of fresh air! Tomorrow's colors are Fuchsia and Navy! WHEW!!! Bet you haven't seen a wedding in those colors! Well, let me tell you... It is sooooo fun! It will brighten your Friday and make you smile from ear to ear!!!

LOOK HOW FUN!!! GET EXCITED!!!