Monday, April 16, 2012
Chef's Market and Catering has always been a favorite of mine just from personal experiences with the company - they not only produce great, custom menus for their customers but they are also able to decorate the food tables according to the theme of the wedding. Recently they provided a dessert table with a selection of sweet treats that would make Willy Wonka jealous. The table decor and set-up complemented the couple's gorgeous wedding that took place at the Country Music Hall of Fame. We reached out to Genna of Chef's Market who walked us through what inspired the look and decor of this fantastic dessert buffet and how the Chef's Market team brought it to life according to the couple and planner's vision.
All Photos: SB Childs Photography
What was the inspiration behind the dessert table you created at the Country Music Hall of Fame?
Genna: The bride and groom wanted their wedding to feel very upscale and elegant with a rustic/country influence and their venue (the Country Music Hall of Fame) was the perfect place to pull that off. Their wedding planner, Angela Proffitt, asked us to provide the vintage style table used for the dessert display and with the ‘vintage chic’ look in mind, we did the rest ourselves!
How did you incorporate the bride and groom’s vision into the design as well as the dessert selection?
For the display, we used old windows, lots of earthy textures and vintage styled items like serving trays, milk bottles, and of course the table, to give it a shabby chic feel. We created a moss tiered ‘wedding cake’ to hold the pie pops and used apples under glass, not only for color but also for that rustic influence they wanted.
With it being a fall wedding, the bride and groom wanted to incorporate the season into the dessert selection, so we did lots of apple related desserts (Apple Pie Pops, Baby Lady Apples dipped in Caramel & Chocolate, etc). We also made cupcakes of their choice (Red Velvet, Hummingbird) and had an assortment of their favorite cookies for guests to grab on the go.
What other kinds of desserts can you make?
We try not to limit ourselves when it comes to creating desserts. We love experimenting with recipes and trying new things to make sure our client’s menus are as personalized as possible. Our most popular desserts tend to be cupcakes, truffles, cookies, and dessert shots, but we’ve also done things like mini tiramisu, individual pies, fruit tarts, and more.
What makes a Chef’s Market dessert table stand out?
We have a true passion for creating great food and beautiful presentation. Whether it’s a buffet, plated dinner or a dessert display, we put a lot of energy into making sure it will wow our clients and their guests! We really listen to brides and grooms to make sure we understand their vision for their wedding reception in order to incorporate that same look into any of the food displays we put together.
What a beautiful spread to match a beautiful wedding. Thank you to Chef's Market and SB Childs Photography for sharing the details from the wedding. For more of what Chef's Market can do for your special event or wedding, check them out online at ChefsMarket.com.
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Posted by Tabitha |
Filed under: Cakes & Food, Inspiration & Trends, Luxury Nashville Wedding Finds
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Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Purple and white are hot, hot, hot wedding colors for 2012! Red is always a favorite color too. If you are considering one of those colors for your wedding, you are in luck. The prolific team at The Enchanted Florist recently designed three stunning weddings that represent this year's popular color trends and we are happy to share them with you today.
Brilliant Purple
Purple has been a slightly underrated color when it comes to weddings and according to Enchanted Florist, this will be a huge color trend for weddings in 2012. If you love purple but aren't sure where to start or which shade to pick, Enchanted Florist has this advice to share, "Opt for a deep plums or eggplant purple if sexy drama is part of your wedding day vision. Brides wanting sweet and romantic should consider soft shades like lavender, perfect for a springtime garden wedding. And for those of you that simply can’t choose a favorite (like us!) don’t worry! We love mixing multiple shades or other popular colors (like pink or green) for a truly sophisticated effect!"
For more beautiful, purple inspiration, visit the original blog post here.
Purple inspiration photographs by Ace Photography and Andrea Hallgren Photography
Romantic Red
This wedding at Nashville City Club was gorgeous. Another vibrant choice of color, red is a classic, romantic color and when set against black becomes bold and elegant - really makes a statement. Red is the bride's favorite color and Enchanted Florist decorated with red to the nines, adding the bride's own butterfly twist. More from this post here.
Photographs by Andrea Hallgren
Elegant White
Another classic wedding look is using and really going with the monochromatic look of white florals. "2012 promises more white weddings," said Enchanted Florist on their blog. "Keep your venue and style of wedding in mind when putting together your all-white color palette… with so many shades of white and great matching neutrals (like silver or beige) to tie everything together the options are endless and can have very different results."
Photographs by Phindy Studios, Adele Reding, Divine Images, The Collection and Image Trick
White can also be really edgy and contemporary as seen from Enchanted Florist's booth at the recent Pink Bride Show. For more ideas for white wedding flowers click here.
This beautiful, white wedding at the Loveless Barn is not to be missed. More pictures here.
Photographs by Angela Disrud Photography
There's so much inspiration you can find on Enchanted Florist's site and blog. With years of experience decorating some of the most beautiful weddings Nashville has ever seen, they're a great vendor to work with if you haven't already hired your florist. Definitely contact them and be sure to tell them you heard about them from us!
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Posted by Ashley of Ashley's Bride Guide |
Filed under: Details, Design & Florals, Inspiration & Trends
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Thursday, March 29, 2012
Jessica and Gordie won the Her Nashville wedding contest last year and their wedding has been featured in many publications, but we were all too happy to feature it ourselves with all the incredible details! We have already spotlighted their board game cake as one of favorites from 2011, but the whole affair is worth seeing.
We hope you enjoy their lovely outdoor ceremony and indoor reception with a game board theme. The theme came from Gordie's proposal with a game of Pictionary!
All photos by Jonathon Campbell Photography.
Jessica + Gordie
Ceremony & Reception Venue ~ Cellar One
Guests ~ 85
Budget
$10,000-$20,000 out of pocket – plus winning the Her Nashville contest
Wedding Team
Venue | Cellar One
Planner | Sarah Willard, Music City Events
Board Game Design | Something Detailed
Photographer | Jonathon Campbell Photography
Photo Booth | Picture This Nashville
Videographer | Truepix Cinematic
Weddings Gown | White Room
Bride's Accessories | Borrowed from family and friends
Groom’s Attire | Groom wore a tux he owned
Groomsmen Attire and Groom’s vest | Street Tuxedo
Bridesmaids Attire | Chosen from various stores (whatever the girls wanted) in different shades of brown
Hair | Lauren Henry from Fierce Salon
Makeup | Katie Russo Makeup
Stationery | Designs in Paper
Ceremony Musicians | Friends
Reception Musicians & Lighting | JD’s Music
Caterer | Chef’s Market
Cake Artist | The Cupcake Collection
Floral Designer | Branching Out
Rentals | The Premiere Event
Guest Accommodations | Hotel Indigo, Hilton Downtown
Event Guidance | Wedding 101
My Wedding Details
How would you describe your style as a couple?
We are pretty laid back and wanted our wedding to be a casual fun celebration that everyone could enjoy. We wanted everything to focus on us celebrating our love and our family / friends that took time out of their busy lives to join in the weekend.
How did you incorporate that style into your wedding?
Since we’re laid back, our friends like to party, and they know we love board games we tried to set an appropriate tone in a number of ways. The groom was the only guy in a tux. We opted to keep the groomsmen in tux pants and matching vests but with differing ties. The bridesmaids were asked to choose a dress that they’d be comfortable in, as long as they kept within our color range.
Jessica’s dad is a huge fan of Maker’s Mark so our signature drink was just that, Maker’s Mark. We also had board games and brainteasers spread around the cocktail area to keep our guests interested while we took our pictures. The Cupcake Collection provided amazing cupcakes on an amazing cupcake stand that was built out of board game boxes like Monopoly, Cranium, with the edible cake topper made to look like the board game Apples-to-Apples.
Our lighting and music was super fun with lanterns hanging over all our tables, up-lighting around the room, and a playlist that included music we handpicked to insure we’d enjoy the music, and our friends got onto the dance floor.
What was the favorite aspect of your wedding?
We are thrilled that we made the conscious choice to have as many of our friends and family involved in the entire weekend as possible. From the rehearsal dinner to the brunch on the day after, it really allowed us to connect with everyone that made the journey to Nashville to see us. On the day of the wedding our favorite aspect was seeing all of the elements we’d planned on and worked hard to assemble come together to be so much fun for our guests. The interactive photo wall that featured pictures of our guests with us over the years, our DJ and the lighting he accomplished, the puzzles, games, and brainteasers spread around the space, and the photo wall were all such a thrill.
Where did you splurge?
Our two biggest splurges were with a photographer and our venue. We wanted to be sure we were comfortable with our photographer, and since we both love photography, we felt it should be a priority for our big day to be captured properly and in a way that suited our taste and style.
Where did you save/DIY?
Winning the Her Nashville contest gave us a bit more leeway in our budget, but we still tried to stay affordable where we could. We created an interactive photo wall in our ‘game lounge’. We also made a lot of the paper items ourselves including menus for the rehearsal dinner with fun puzzles for our guests, and goody bags, and placemats for our brunch.
To continue with our board game theme we looked for a lot of inexpensive board games and old school wooden brainteasers and used them as centerpieces where we couldn’t afford flower centerpieces. For our guest favors Gordie and I took mock-photo booth pictures of ourselves thanking our guests from joining us. We bought frames off eBay and put these photos in them.
Now that the wedding day is over, is there anything about your planning process you feel you could have done differently?
For the most part we were super happy with everything about our wedding! We’d advise that you always read all of the fine print on every single contract that you see so that you understand what all of the costs can be. Also, come up with a detailed photo list and make sure you have enough time scheduled on the day of the event to get all the pictures you want. Make sure that everyone knows where your priorities are.
In one sentence, what words of advice do you have for couples in the midst of their planning?
Keep your wedding theme, goal and budget in mind and as you plan and ask yourself if the things you are incorporating add to the desired end product.
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Posted by Megan |
Filed under: Inspiration & Trends, Real Nashville Weddings, Reception Entertainment, Photo Booths, Wedding Venues and Locations
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Friday, March 23, 2012
More and more couples are moving towards all-in-one venues where they can have their ceremony and reception in the same location. Sometimes, it's because you don't have a church home; other times, it's because you don't want the hassle of moving everyone and everything from one location to another and find it more simple (and often more affordable) to stay in one place.
That's what today's featured couple, Christal and Barrett, decided. Instead of moving between locations, they chose to have their ceremony and reception at aVenue, a wedding location owned by Nashville Event Space. Not only did they host their ceremony at this chic downtown location but they chose to have a round stage, which made their all-in-one approach even more intriguing. So we had to ask, why use a round stage? Laurie Hardman of Nashville Event Space told us that the circular platform appealed to this couple (and others) because it is low to the ground, but still elevated, and allows the family to sit on all sides.
Now that we think about it, we like the round stage approach, mainly because it allows family to sit on both sides, giving everyone a great view of the nuptials. This set-up may not be great for all couples. You might prefer a more traditional set-up. But, regardless of the layout you choose, please know that with a venue like aVenue, you have many options and can simplify your wedding with an all-in-one location.
Christal + Barrett
Date ~ February 12, 2011
Ceremony + Reception Venue ~ aVenue
Guests ~ 130
My Budget
$20,000 – 50,000
Wedding Team
Planner | Laurie Hardman of Randi Events
Photographer | Betsy Limbaugh
Gown & Accessories | b. Hughes
Groom’s Attire / Groomsmen Attire | All of the guys wore their own tuxes if they had them, the other guys rented from Bittner's Formal Wear
Bridesmaids Attire | Bella Bridesmaid
Hair | Miracles-Brittany Muench
Makeup | Lindsey from Mac
Stationery | Designs In Paper
Ceremony + Reception Musicians | Nashville Party Authority
Transportation | We rented a hotel shuttle for our rehearsal dinner, but we just hailed a cab after the wedding, ha! It was great!
Caterer | A Dream Come True Catering
Cake Artist | Dream Cakes
Floral Designer | Mike Wittier - Branches
My Wedding Details
How would you describe your style as a couple?
Classic/ traditional
How did you incorporate that style into your wedding?
Black and white were our only colors and white roses were our only flower. White soft lighting, black tablecloths, etc. It was beautiful!!
We wanted the venue to feel warm and open, and aVenue was exactly that! The open space allowed everyone to be in the same room throughout the night, and the wood floors and exposed brick gave it a comfortable vibe.
We also had a fair amount of out of town guests, and it was important to us that it be easy for everyone to get to and from the wedding. Since aVenue is in downtown Nashville, everyone stayed at hotels down the street and had plenty of sight seeing options. It was the perfect choice for us!
Planner's View on the Bride's Style:
They were so excited about planning there special day but beyond the planning you could see that they truly loved and respected each other. They began to describe the feel and look that they wanted to create, and like many couples they wanted to have relaxed atmosphere where the people that were most important in their lives could come and share in the joy and excitement of this special day.
Christal had a vision of the space being starry and magical and a less traditional ceremony. By having the ceremony and reception in the same location, with very little transition, I felt it was important to keep the guest entertained by something new happening every hour. Barrett and Christal envisioned their guest being welcomed with passed champagne and butler passed canapes.
The room was set in all white with black accents, white roses and lots of candles. A circular stage was set for the ceremony in the middle of the room. Sting lights hanging vertical to create a starry look and draping around the poles to soften the space. As the guest began to arrive the wedding party was staged in the loft. We enclosed the loft with white draping so that the guest would not be able to see the wedding party which would later be pulled back to allow the loft space to be used as part of the reception. After 45 minutes of hors d'oeuvres and champagne, the ceremony was set to begin.
The music rose to get everyone’s attention; from the left side of the venue the groom and his groomsmen came down the stairs. On the right side the bridesmaids. Lastly Christal entered like a fairytale. They said their vows and the ceremony concluded. Now the party began.. They had a more traditional cocktail hour with fruits and imported cheeses and salads and a dinner buffet to follow. The design was clean, simple, and elegant, just like the couple. It fit them perfectly.
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What was the favorite aspect of your wedding?
Oh my goodness, it's so hard to pick just one, but everyone got on the dance floor and partied, which was exactly what we hoped for! At one point in the night we brought out a basket of crazy sunglasses. Everyone put the glasses on and it made for great pictures and some really silly dancing!
Where did you splurge? Where did you save/DIY?
Food and drinks were important to us, so I'd say we splurged on the open bar and plenty of food options. Also, ambiance was a priority for us, so we spent extra on draping, couches, and lighting. Some things that weren't as important to us were having a videographer, table party favors, and programs... We didn't have any of those things and didn't miss them at all.
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Now that the wedding day is over, is there anything about your planning process you feel you could have done differently?
I wouldn't change a single thing! I loved the time of year we did it, the venue, the guests, the food... It was all exactly as we wanted it, and if I had it to do over again, I would do it the same way!
In one sentence, what words of advice do you have for couples in the midst of their planning?
Pick a great wedding planner, if you don't have one already... Our wedding planner made our day happen, and it would have been a mess without her!
Many thanks to Laurie for answering all of our questions and to Betsy for providing the photos! If you would like to book aVenue for your wedding day, make sure to mention that you heard about NES on ABG! And remember, it is a great space for a ceremony/reception combo or for just a reception.
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Posted by Ashley of Ashley's Bride Guide |
Filed under: Inspiration & Trends, Real Nashville Weddings
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Wednesday, March 14, 2012
A delicious new trend has caught on with the wedding cake world -- a cake buffet. Now, every guest can have their cake and eat it too! I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Vicki, owner and baker of Signature Cakes, about the cake buffet’s advantages for your reception. Read on to see how layer after layer will delight your guests!
Photo by Zach and Jody - Gray Photography
Can you tell me how the cake buffet works?
Yes! Signature seeks to develop such distinct cake flavors that no other desserts are necessary at your wedding. The goal is for you to have a dessert bar simply by cutting up your cake! At Signature, we allow a 4-tiered wedding cake to have three flavors, and the top layer can be the bride and groom’s favorite to save for their anniversary.
I typically encourage the bride to ask her caterer, or whomever is cutting the cake, to cut the slices thinly and arrange them on a table with place card descriptions for each flavor.
Top and Left Photo by Anna Hedges Photography; Right Photo by McLellan Style
What about flavors? Do you offer a wide variety?
Signature offers 12 different gourmet layers for tasting. We’re always bringing in new flavors because I can customize for a particular bride. I’m a baker at heart, so I’m happy to create a flavor, try it out on friends and family, and then share it with the bride! Then, the new flavor becomes a Signature flavor option.
Our most recent creation, for instance, is a Hazelnut Milk Chocolate Cake, better known as Nutella! Look for it at the Pink Bridal Show in March. The thing to remember is that wedding cake should be the best cake you’ve ever had; yes, it’s important that it looks pretty, but you want it to taste delicious for your guests!
Photo courtesy of Signature Cakes by Vicki
Is the cake buffet option more expensive than having an entire wedding cake that’s one flavor?
No, there’s no extra charge for flavors per layer, even though oftentimes certain flavors prove to be more expensive than others. I want this option to be accessible to brides!
Do you find that the cake buffet is a hit at receptions?
Yes! I’ve always found it to be a huge hit! Who wouldn’t want a choice? Also, brides and grooms are increasingly playing the parts of host and hostess at receptions these days, so this option shows that they care about their guests’ different preferences.
Cake Flavor Photo by Ace Photography
Is there an issue with a certain cake flavor running out at receptions with the cake buffet?
This is never really a problem, and certainly not a bad thing. Guests never complain about certain flavors being extra popular; they just always enjoy talking about which one they liked best. A guest would be disappointed if one flavor was good and another wasn’t, but every layer is delicious, so problems are avoided. Rarely does a layer run out at a reception, though this may be the common misconception regarding flavors per layer.
What would you say are other advantages of the cake buffet?
Well, in addition to providing your guests with a choice, the cake gets eaten up! So often from receptions, brides and grooms spend an enormous amount of money on a cake that doesn’t taste good, so it’s barely touched. These cakes look beautiful and taste delicious!
Are you convinced now that a cake buffet is right for you?! If so, then contact Vicki at Signature Cakes by Vicki and make sure to tell her you heard about her on ABG!
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Posted by Betsy-Intern |
Filed under: Cakes & Food, Inspiration & Trends
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