Monday, April 9, 2012
It was a blast hanging out with Ashley King for the first ever Whole Wedding Bridal Show at Whole Foods Green Hills last month. This eco-friendly geared bridal show featured wedding services offered by Whole Foods along with other cool "green" Nashville vendors. I was definitely a happy camper, as this was a new "green" find for me so please read on and enjoy!
Whole Foods - Wedding Cake, Gelato, Catering, Florals
Whole Foods Market is the largest retailer of organic and natural foods. Their commitment to locally grown food and fair trade initiatives make them a perfect choice for the "green" bride. During this bridal show they really went all out to showcase the variety of services they offer to sustainably geared weddings.
Whole Foods showcased their cakes, catering, and flowers. Their bakery offers wedding cakes that are super creative, mighty tasty, and contain no artificial dyes.
Their cupcakes were as pleasing to the eye and wallet, as they are 6 for $6.99.
The sweet choices did not stop there, as brides also have the option of adding gelato to their wedding menu, full of seasonal fresh fruit ingredients.
The little home-made steak biscuits were also a hit and just a sampling of what Whole Foods can provide on your big day.
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Whole Foods also offers fair practice sourced flower arrangements, which were absolutely stunning.
The entertainment was also in full effect during the show. Robert Luke Entertainment was the event DJ + emcee, bringing a great energy and cool tunes. Celladora Wedding Photography was on hand with their photo booth, allowing the couples to really let loose and have a little fun. Celladora is also a company committed to sustainable initiatives, as they give a portion of their wedding photography profits to Water.org.
Right: Ashley King (ABG founder); Left - Ashley Currie (me)
Arboreal Paper had a booth that made you want to go paper goods crazy! Arboreal's designs are always gorgeous and eco-friendly, giving brides the ability to print on recycled paper with soy based inks. Speaking of paper goods, dandyLion Events provided a fun workshop on making the infamous pom poms. Lindsey with dandyLion Events is all about upcycling and reusing wedding decor for her couples' big day allowing for a personal "green" touch. Street Tuxedo was on hand to share the latest in tuxedo fashion. Not only are they family owned and Nashville based (which we love) but their inventory is largely local, which reduces the need to ship (which is great for the environment too).
I was so excited to find out Whole Foods offers these type of services for the Nashville bride and hope some of you stop by the Green Hills store to learn more.
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Posted by Green Nashville Weds |
Filed under: Bridal Shows & Events, Eco-Friendly Weddings
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Thursday, March 8, 2012
UPDATED 3/14 - Please note that the consignment sale starts March 15 following the Opening Night Benefit, which includes a cocktail time with a silent auction from 5-6pm. The sale will open at 6pm. You will be able to purchase items that night.
Calling all brides-to-be, wedding vendors and newlyweds!! You don’t want to miss Bridal Bargainistas' first event in Nashville! Make money off your wedding memorabilia that’s collecting dust or find sensational deals if you’re a bride to be.
I spoke with Angela who helps run the Bridal Bargainista event, and she let me in on the details. Be sure to get involved - it’s a wonderful opportunity to buy or sell all things wedding!
What are the event details
The Bridal Bargainistas event will take place at the Nashville Expo Center (aka TN Fairgrounds), located at 625 Smith Avenue. The event will kick off with an opening ceremony from 5 - 8 pm on March 15. The sale will run from 6-8pm on opening night. It will continue the following day, March 16, and will run from 9 am to 8 pm. It will continue from 9 am - 3 pm on March 17. If you are a newlywed, you can sell your items by registering them online now. If you are looking to buy, you can save the date and come ready to buy!
If you have items to sell, how does it work?
If you are looking to sell, you would become a consignor. You set the price via our website and if the item sells, great! If not, you come pick it up after the sale or we donate it automatically to Goodwill on your behalf. to learn more about consigning (selling) your items, visit our website, create an account, enter items, and then have your tags printed. You tag your items and then drop them off at the fairgrounds from 11 am - 7 pm during March 13-14.
Decorative items are an absolute hit at this event! Most of the time they go faster than dresses, so if you have any centerpieces, candles, linens, etc. don’t hesitate to donate those items! (Ashley of ABG adds - if you have dresses, donate them to Goodwill this week for their upcoming Goodwill Gala and receive a tax write-off.)
If you are looking to buy, what should we know about the sale?
Everything starts March 15. We’re having a cocktail party and silent auction from 5 - 8 pm on March 15, to benefit local nonprofit Thistle Farms. The sale will follow. The price to attend is $10 for the opening night, and the other days are free. Tickets can be purchased by emailing sale{at}bridalbargainistas{dot}com. Tickets may also be purchased at the door, but we encourage you to buy them online in order to avoid an additional line. Parking is $5.
All photos courtesy of the Bridal Bargainistas' Facebook Page
We love Thistle Farms too (their items make great bridesmaids gifts!) and we are all too happy to see them benefit from this great wedding event. We are so excited for the sale and we hope to see you there!
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Posted by Betsy-Intern |
Filed under: Bridal Shows & Events, DIY & Budget Wed Finds, Eco-Friendly Weddings
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Thursday, March 1, 2012
If you can't wait to partake in the March Madness college basketball frenzy, this month might pose a few challenges. There are so many not-to-miss wedding planning events! But with a solid action plan, you can attend events, meet wedding pros, buy your gown and your wedding decor (at a steal), and still kick back and enjoy as many basketball games as you'd like!
Here's our guide to upcoming bridal events. Unlike any other time of the year, this month will be chock-full of once-a-year bridal events, a month I'm affectionately calling "March Wedness". (Others are required to source ABG if you want to use this term!).
THE Details!
March 3 - Cedarwood Style Show
If you haven't yet finalized your wedding location, this would be a great Saturday to do so. Cedarwood is hosting a style show. It's primarily to showcase great style ideas for their current brides. But, if you haven't secured your wedding venue and seek an incredible outdoor space, plan to from 3-5 pm. You missed the RSVP date but I'm sure that if you are seriously interested in their venue, they'd be glad to add you to the list. (But contact them today!)
For details, click here.
March 4 - Here Come the Brides Bridal Show
I've never attended by I plan to stop by and check it out. Sorry, I can't give you insight into the show but I am excited to see what it has to offer Nashville brides and grooms. If you see me there, say hi!
Meg - I attended the show last year and compared to others, it is a bit small. But in a good way! As you step into the large room you get a feel for the layout. Typically set in a horseshoe, with with the stage in the middle, you can meander around or cut across, or take a break by the stage. I was in the midst of my planning when I went, but I had met Cathy (one the show producers) and she had encouraged me to attend. It really was fun, because the producers love doing this. They have fun with the fashion show and with having the attendees join in competitive games on stage - you could win great prizes for your wedding!
For more details, click here.
March 10 - Whole Weddings, a Bridal Show at Whole Foods
I'm really excited about this show. With more and more of us exploring the green way to live, I look forward to seeing what Whole Foods has to offer for weddings. I spoke with Linda, the event organizer, and she informed me that Whole Foods offers cakes and desserts, flowers, and catering for weddings and events. Tabitha and Meg, our ABG bloggers, swear by there desserts, especially those made with all natural dyes. While I'm not a green thumb or an all natural girl (just yet), I will be sure to check out their cake just for you! Hey, I'm a team player and duty calls.
The show promises to showcase all that Whole Foods offers for your wedding but they've also invited other eco-friendly wedding pros to showcase, from stationery to wedding planning. It will take place at their Green Hills location which is easy to get to. I hope to see you there.
For details, click here.
March 13 - Ashley's Wedding Planning Camp: Your Values, Vision + Budget
I know. You've heard me say it but my camp is one event this year that you should attend. I've invited expert wedding pros and newlyweds to help you plan your wedding the right way. There is NO other wedding planning class offered in Nashville but mine. You owe it to your relationship and your finances. My camp will help you reduce your stress, focus on your marriage and help you hire your wedding team like you're a pro.
At this first class, we will help you commit to your true values, discover your wedding vision / style, create and prioritize your wedding budget so you know what to spend and what not to spend. We will also be at our first location, Noah Liff Opera Center. If you attend all three nights, you will get a look and feel for three amazing venues.
For details, click here.
March 15 thru March 17 - Bridal Bargainista, for Bargains on Wedding Decor
We'll share a full details on this event next week but for now, be sure to register to attend (if you are a bride) and clean out your storage closets (if you are a newlywed or wed vendor looking to say goodbye to your used wedding goods).
This is the bargainista's first wedding consignment sale in Nashville but based on their sold-out show in Memphis last year, you should plan to attend with me.
For details, click here.
March 17- Goodwill Wedding Gala, for Bargains on Dresses
The Goodwill Wedding Gala is a great place to shop for the following: your wedding dress, rehearsal dinner dress, second dress for your reception, bridesmaid or mother of the bride/groom dress. Every dress is priced to sell, under $400. Some gowns are pre-owned, others sample gowns or brand new from bridal salons. Already have your dress? Shop the discounted accessories, from veils to shoes.
For details, click here.
March 20 - Ashley's Wedding Planning Camp: What Your Money Buys + Tips for Hiring Your Dream Wedding Team
This week's camp will take place at the Nashville City Club, which gives you an opportunity to tour it if you are still seeking a venue. The panel will be completely different than the 3/13 event and the topics discussed will change too.
For details, click here.
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March 27 - Ashley's Wedding Planning Camp: How to Hire Your Dream Wedding Team (Part 2) + Smart Ways to Do It Yourself
For our third, and final evening, we will continue to discuss hiring your vendors. You're giving your budget to them and trusting them to create your perfectly imagined day - make sure you are hiring the right people, with the right contracts and information!
We will also talk about the very popular side of weddings - DIY! What you should and should not DIY, as well as some tips and examples of sucessful projects. The venue that evening will be Houston Station, which is a great space for creative minds.
For details, click here.
Keep watching our site and our events page as we will add events throughout the month and year as they are sent to us!
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Posted by Ashley of Ashley's Bride Guide |
Filed under: Advice & Planning, Bridal Shows & Events, DIY & Budget Wed Finds, Eco-Friendly Weddings
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Wednesday, February 29, 2012
It took years before I did anything with my wedding dress. Following my wedding reception, it literally sat in my closet for 6 years! Now, I know a little more than I did when I got married and know that the way I handled my gown was the WRONG way to go! I asked Sara, our newlywed blogger, if she could educate us. She has followed the right procedures - she identified a place to preserve her gown early on and took her gown there shortly after the wedding. She went with Oakwood Cleaners where she'd received great service altering her gown. Her gown is now preserved and she is here to share what she has learned with you.
Sara's Gown Gets Preserved
Finding my dream dress was one of the things I most looked forward to once I was engaged. Once I found it, I couldn’t wait to wear it on our big day. I thought about the pictures I wanted to take, how I would accessorize it and what Nate would think when he finally saw me in it. The one thing I didn’t think of was the after. What would I do with my dress after the wedding? And I definitely didn’t think about how dirty it would get from walking through the grass for pictures and dancing the night away with my new hubby.
My dream dress, in all of its glory before it was dirty. Images provided by Betsy Limbaugh Photography.
It didn’t take long for me to decide that I wanted to preserve my dress. So much time had been spent on finding the perfect one that I couldn’t bare the thought of just leaving it in a heap in the bottom of my closet or even worse, throwing it away. Before the wedding I turned to Oakwood Cleaners for my alterations and they did such a wonderful job that I knew I wanted to turn to them to preserve it as well.
I was curious about the process of preserving a wedding dress, so I talked to Rhonda at Oakwood Cleaners during the process to get the scoop!
ABG: Why should a bride get her dress cleaned and preserved after her wedding?
Oakwood Cleaners: If you’re gong to resell it, just get it cleaned but not preserved. The main reason to preserve it is to preserve the memory for the next generation. If you’re sentimentally attached to your gown, and most brides are, you want to put the gown away so that 30 – 40 years down the road your daughter can wear it too. It’s not unusual to see young women wear their mothers’ or grandmothers’ gowns.
Having a wonderful time, while my dress is getting dirtier and dirtier. Images provided by Betsy Limbaugh Photography.
ABG: What happens to a gown if you don’t get it preserved?
Oakwood Cleaners: Preserving protects the gown from the environment, so if you don’t preserve a gown, it can be damaged fairly easily. Today’s environment is filled with chemicals, fumes, and pollutants that can damage the fabric. Even simply spraying your house for bugs could affect the fabric on your gown if it is left unprotected. And insects that you might not see could make a meal out of your gown, which is not something brides would want. Preservation will help keep your gown beautiful for the day it might be worn again.
Before and after of the back of my dress. Images provided by Oakwood Cleaners.
ABG: Explain the process of preserving a gown – what does it take?
Oakwood Cleaners: First the gown must be cleaned, and the level of cleaning needed depends on the stains on the dress and even the fabric. Once it is cleaned, we will preserve the dress using an acid free, archival museum quality box to hold the gown which will be in a muslin wrap. The way we box the gowns, if you take the muslin off, you can open the box. The lid is not sealed on the box and part of the reason we do that is because our preservation is museum quality and if you've noticed everything in a museum is exposed. Once you get the gown really clean, it doesn’t hurt it to be exposed to air because air will only react to stuff that is not clean but you do want to protect it and you don’t want to keep it open all the time. We don’t put windows on the boxes because we don’t want the dress to come in contact with plastic and glue.
The misconception in preservation is that it’s sealed and it's not, you can still open the box to look at the gown whenever you want to. We include a pair of white gloves but taking the gown out completely is not recommended. You can certainly unfold it while it is the box and look at it or show it to friends. And if you want to take it all the way out, you can bring it in to the store and we can assist you so that you avoid damaging the gown.
Before and after of the bottom of my dress. Images provided by Oakwood Cleaners.
ABG: What is the cost of gown preservation?
Oakwood Cleaners: The cost varies depending on a few factors. The fabric used and the overall designs are the main factors. The amount of detail also comes into play – if there is a lot of lace, or a large amount of beading, that is more difficult to clean and takes a bit more time.
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The train of the dress after, and clean! Image provided by Oakwood Cleaners.
ABG: What should a bride ask as she considers various preservation companies? What makes Oakwood Cleaners a specialist?
Oakwood Cleaners: Brides should consider the reputation of the companies they are looking at and also try to find brides who have used those companies in the past as a reference.
We consider ourselves the Greener Cleaner, which helps us stand out from other companies in the area. Our cleaning process is completely non-toxic and the cleaning process uses a solution made of silicone and it’s extremely gentle on the dress or anything we clean with it.. We’re able to clean a gown with lots of fancy trim better than the traditional dry cleaning methods. That’s the biggest advantage to the bride because it’s gentle on the garment. It’s safe for people who are working on the gown and safe for the person wearing the gown – it doesn’t hurt them and most importantly, it won’t leave smells.
We are also part of the Association of Wedding Gown Specialists, which means that we can honor any other members guarantee and they will honor ours. So if you move or something happens to your dress years down the line, you will be in good hands.
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Preserving helps maintain the details of the dress as well. Image provided by Oakwood Cleaners.
ABG: Can you preserve a veil as well as a gown?
Oakwood Cleaners: Yes, we can. We once worked on a veil that was first worn in 1856 by the bride's grandmother and we not only cleaned it we also attached some tulle to it and made it look more modern while leaving the beautiful original lace.
The results of my cleaning and preservation are amazing! I’m so glad I made the choice to get my dress preserved and that I went with Oakwood Cleaners. To learn more about their process and make an appointment for yourself, visit their website!
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Posted by Newlywed Sara |
Filed under: Alterations + Gown Preservation, Attire - Bridal Gowns, Wedding Dresses & Accessories, Eco-Friendly Weddings
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Thursday, February 2, 2012
Happy February!
Ashley with iHospitality, here to give you a monthly dose of all things green in Nashville. As I began making a checklist for my own upcoming wedding, I thought it would be cool to share some green tips that can easily be incorporated into your big day..
1) Choose vendors that give back
Many vendors are starting to give a percentage of their sales to local charities or environment groups. Why not sleep easy knowing your wedding made a positive footprint in the world?!
Catalyst Weddings & Events is a wedding planning service that works with brides on ways they can contribute to charitable organizations with their wedding.
Celladora Wedding Photography donates a portion of their wedding photography profits to the charity Water.org (Picture courtesy of Celladora Photography)
2) Reduce your guests' travel
It is always great to choose a location where you can have your ceremony and reception in one place (like Houston Station, Cedarwood, or Nashville City Club) or at least in close proximity to the majority of your guests, cutting down on un-needed transportation. If a combo location is not an option, consider a location where guests can walk to their hotel after your reception. If you reception isn't centrally located, inquire with the venue and see if they offer a complimentary shuttle to transport your guests in bulk to their hotel or to the airport for departure (Sheraton Music City and Holiday Inn Express have complimentary shuttle service to airport).
The downtown Nashville Hilton is centrally located to lots of fun activities and great wedding venues for your guests' convenience. (Picture courtesy of Hilton Nashville Downtown)
3) Eliminate flowers by using props to decorate your tables or recycle your flowers
Centerpieces do not have to always be flowers: candles and lanterns are a great alternative to cut flowers. Live plants can also compliment your guest tables. Remember, the first goal is always to reduce your impact on the environment. You will always have options that still fall inline with your wedding decor. If you must have cut flowers, make sure to offer your centerpieces to guests at the end of night instead of tossing them in the trash.
Tissue poms made from recycled paper and tons of other recycle/used items became centerpieces in this eco-friendly wedding. (See more here. Picture courtesy of LaPhotographie)
The hand-made fabric bouquets from this Nashville wedding means no extra costs on flowers that will just wither. (Picture by Pear Image Photography)
Venues like Cedarwood use salvaged, recycled materials to achieve the looks of their beautiful weddings. (Picture by Cedarwood)
4) Consider locally grown and in season food
Always request a local, seasonal menu when working with your caterer or venue. This supports your local community and allows you to receive natural, fresh ingredients. Also, make sure to work out a plan with your coordinator or venue to donate any unused food to your local food bank or shelter.
For a comprehensive list of Ashley's food recommendations go here.
Local restaurants and chefs like Jeremy Barlow of tayst and Local Kitchen Catering provide great food made from local ingredients. (Pictures by tayst)
Perl Catering uses locally sourced ingredients, decreasing and limiting the carbon footprint and keeping your wedding catering delicious and eco-friendly. (Pictures by Perl Catering)
5) Serve your beverages in bulk
It is always great to serve up your beverages in large containers. This helps to eliminate massive amounts of packaging and single use bottles. The less items in the trash, the better.
Caterers like Chef's Market have the means to serve drinks in decor-friendly containers that hold enough for everyone.
Rental items (such as these from Southall Eden) can take the place of bottled drinks to cut down on trash.
This quick checklist is great to reference through out your planning process. Going green does not have to be a hassle but a fun way to set your wedding apart, while making a difference.
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Posted by Green Nashville Weds |
Filed under: Advice & Planning, Eco-Friendly Weddings
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