Wednesday, March 10, 2010
I absolutely LOVE the red and blue color combo for just about anything - from home decor and fashion to weddings. The funny thing is - I painted my home office red and turquoise in 2006 and didnt even think about the palette for weddings...until I started seeing fabulous inspiration boards like the one by Opulent Couturier below. I have yet to tire of these two colors combined and hope to see many more weddings in these super popular colors.
The Background:
Latrice of Opulent Couturier is back to inspire us once again and to demonstrate how event styling for your wedding day can work.. Tablescapes are a great way to design your dream wedding reception, incorporating elements that you love.
The Inspiration:
Image Credit: Row 1: Top Left: thefurniture.com, 2nd from left: highheelsblog.com, 3rd from left left: thetwistedsifter.wordpress.com Row 2: Left upper: gallery.weddingbee.com, Left lower: rosannainc.com Center Image: maisonluxe.net Right Upper: etsy.com/shop/Allofyou Left lower: blog.bellasignature.com Row 3: Left: etsy.com/shop/RachelJasperDesign 2nd from left: etsy.com/shop/toybreaker, 3rd from left: etsy.com/shop/weddingsandsuch Right: athome.kimvallee.com
The Wedding Tablescape:
How did these pictures collectively inspire the wedding tablescape you created?
This tablescape, was very fun concept! Red & turquoise is always a fun color palette to style around. Several of the elements challenged me the think outside of the box in order to show vintage inspiration.
Which elements were most important?
Absolutely the vintage Coca-Cola bottles! All of them were from a personal family collection that I always thought would be pretty cool to incorporate into a tablescape design. The Coke filled individuals bottles were extra special because they were bottled in my birth year, right here in Nashville!!
The "Love Garland" (www.etsy.com/shop/bekahjennings) added a personal flair to the table. I encourage clients to incorporate as much of their personality into their wedding style as possible.
What type of bride did you have in mind for this tablescape?
This tablescape appeals to a whimsical/fanciful bride that is not afraid to think outside the box & do something a little different with the tablescape style. When incorporating the vintage Coke bottles, this would also work with a wide range of other vintage beverage bottles as well as vintage milk glass vases.
What do you love most about the elements of this design?
I love the simplicity of the tablescape, yet it really pops with the red & turquoise color palette. The white floral stems from Hillary of Brocade Designs & the square menus from LePenn Designs really made the table come to life!!
What would you add if you were to do again?
I would add the blue tinted water goblets for another added pop of color.
Whats the most lavish aspect of the tablescape / whats DIYable?
The most lavish aspect of the table would have to be the linen & floral stems. The red pintuck linen were from Connie Duglin Linen. DIYable: I would say locating the vintage beverage bottles. When I work with a bride that wants to incorporate vintage style elements, I encourage them to shop local thrift shops, seek out family members & also Ebay & Craigslist are great resources.
Photography Credit: Donald Yeager Photography
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Posted by Ashley |
Filed under: Details, Design & Florals, Inspiration & Trends
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Tuesday, March 9, 2010
I've got more great wedding finds to share from the Her Nashville / Focus bridal show, just in case you missed the event.
First up, b. Hughes Bridal and Signature Events, two wonderful wedding resources! b. Hughes Bridal displayed their spring collection of bridal gowns. Ruffles, feathers, and flowers are in, as you can see! These styles would look great with vintage and rustic themed weddings. Signature Events has a vibrant personality and was recently featured in Martha Stewart Weddings. You should check them out! They do exceptional things in weddings here in Nashville.
Up next, a catering company called Clean Plate Club. They provided tasty brunch treats in the form of omelets that beautiful morning. They looked and tasted exquisite! So often brides forget that a brunch reception is a great and budget friendly alternative, especially for Sunday weddings. And, really, who doesn't love breakfast?! Ashley certainly did! She chowed down on a cheese omelette while I enjoyed a Mimosa.
Bacon and Caviar was another catering company offering up deletable brunch treats. They served smoked salmon patties with a salad. It was delicious! Their drink of choice was fruit tea, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Truth be told, I'm really particular about my tea, too. If you get a chance, try their fruit tea.
Of course, after those brunch treats, you'd need something sweet. At the bridal show, there were two bakeries - The Bake Shoppe and Cupcake Collection. Each had their own kind of yumminess.
The Bake Shoppe featured cakes inspired by the latest in bridal gown trends. If you missed their series, read about wedding cakes inspired by bridal gowns part 1 and wedding cakes part 2 only on ABG! The Cupcake Collection had some tasty treats as well. My favorites were the sweet potato cupcake, which tasted like spice cake, and the red velvet cupcake. I'm not usually an icing person, but both had deliciously creamy ones.
The Bake Shoppe
Cupcake Collection
Music City Events had another great spring tablescape. They used a soft green linen with white accents on the table. The hydrangeas were also a great touch for the spring tablescape. It would look great for a vintage or rustic style wedding, as well.
Wedding 101 looked great as well. It is a great FREE resource for brides in Nashville and the Middle TN area. They had shabby chic decor as well. This is really prevalent in weddings right now. So, if you're looking for a theme, this could be a good one!
Eyecandy Salon is a hot salon that is all about glamour. They are located downtown and have great pricing for all brides! The salon is also planning a bridal extravaganza called Bridal Carnevale. It is planned for April 18th and has a complete facebook page dedicated to the festivities.
Geny's Wedding and Events floored me as soon as I walked upstairs. I don't know if they did it on purpose, but they took the splashes of red in the Noah Liff Opera Center and ran with it. They used one of my favorite color schemes - red and damask - that I think can be used for any season. To brighten it up, they used green, which lightens the darkness of the black and makes it a perfect spring or summer palette.
It was a great bridal show that showcased wonderful wedding resources. Hope my recap will help you find a few additional ideas or resources for your big day. Thanks to Kristyn Hogan lifestylye photographer for all photos.
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Posted by Cassandra |
Filed under: Bridal Shows & Events, Vendors & Venues
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Monday, March 8, 2010
The Her Nashville bridal show is my new favorite bridal show! I loved the venue, Noah Liff Opera Center, which boasts a beautiful, open and airy ambiance that made the show seem very LA:). Seriously, I felt like I'd been transported to a different city. Not that I don't love Nashville but the show had a very different vibe than any I've attended in the past.
I attended the show with Cassie, who is here to share all of our favorite wedding finds with you.
Enjoy ~ Ashley
On the last weekend in February, nFocus and HER magazine hosted a bridal brunch at the Noah Liff Opera Center. The center is centrally located; close enough to all the hottest spots downtown without all the noise and traffic. If you haven't visited the site yet, you should. It is a great new Nashville wedding venue and perfect for any bride! The center is perfect because it will compliment any color scheme, especially with the little pops of red throughout the whole place. I particularly like the drama and sophistication of the red spiral staircase.
Another great thing about the Noah Liff Opera Center is the ambiance and lighting. The floor to ceiling windows are a great touch and would look spectacular at night. Think of the stars twinkling on your wedding night. A great compliment to the twinkling stars in the night sky is the lighting. The small, smartly placed lights overhead look like stars and hang oh-so-delicately. The lights also echo the spiral staircase with their cylindrical appearance.
StudioWed had a gorgeous set up right as you walked up the stairs. Their tablescape was perfect for a spring wedding. The linens were charcoal gray with an accent of a soft, pale green for the napkin linens. They complimented each other in a fabulous way and looked stunning next to the floor to ceiling windows. The ladies of Studio Wed also had a mini candy buffet set up in coordinating colors. In particular, I really enjoyed the coke flavored candy. It was too cute! Their floral design was provided by Brocade Design and were spectacular.
(Notice the cute canvas tote bag on the bride's arm? It's an ABG bag!)
Designs in Paper gave away super cute mini scrapbooks! They were very festive and were filled with the cutest papers. Also given to the brides to be were buttons. The buttons said "Future Mrs." with the new first letter of your last name. I snatched one up for myself, as well as scrapbook since I am a bride to be. Plus, they were just too adorable to pass up. Designs in Paper is great because they do more than stationery. They offer cake toppers, specialized confetti, and other paper goodies.
Faccio Bridal displayed superb dresses for a spring wedding. They were flowy, detailed, and accentuated the waist. The bridesmaids dresses complimented the bridal gowns well too. They echoed the strapless look of the gowns but in a beautiful fushia color, which is perfect for spring and summer weddings. I also enjoyed the use of the sash on the flower girl's dress; it matched the bridesmaid dresses, which is a great way to tie in the colors.
Creative Designs and Events had another great spring/summer tablescape. They used black and yellow with hints of silver and gray. It was a perfectly simple design and would look great for an evening wedding. The yellow roses were a great added touch to brighten up the design and the space. The candles added great ambience too. I also loved the custom invitations and menu cards that used the same patterned fabric.
More highlights tomorrow! Thanks to Kristyn Hogan lifestylye photographer for accompanying us and capturing our favorite finds.
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Posted by Cassandra |
Filed under: Bridal Shows & Events
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Friday, March 5, 2010
Tucked away amongst the industrial structures on Church Street is a jewel of a building in which couples have shared and celebrated their firsts as Mr. & Mrs. I still remember driving by there a few years ago and seeing their sign and thinking, "I'll bet that's a really cool space for an event." I wasn't too far off the mark - Events@1418 is an excellent event space, complete with a rooftop with spectacular views of downtown Nashville. I'm still trying to think of a reason to have a party there!
We asked Kellie Bryson, owner of Events@1418 to tell us a little more about the space!
Our Spotlight on Events @ 1418
Kellie Bryson, Owner
About the Venue: Come discover our renovated facility in the heart of Nashville. Surrounded by chic architectural updates, our “old is new again” space gives guests the feeling of being a part of Nashville history. Perfect for rehearsal dinners, corporate meetings, showers, teas, receptions, gallery showings, and much more. We rent to only one client at a time, so the place is all yours!
Year your business was established: Our venue opened in 2006
Your motto/philosophy: Listen to each client’s needs and then provide each client with attention to detail
(Photo by Phindy Studios)
What type of rooms are available?
Our space is an open room with vintage brick walls, exposed beams and hardwood flooring. There is also access to our rooftop deck.
(Photo by Gray Photography)
What options does your venue offer?
Ceremony, reception, showers and parties
What catering options for you offer/allow?
~ On-site catering? yes
~ Outside catering? yes
~ Do you have a preferred list of caterers? developing
~ Is outside alcohol allowed? no
Is an on-site event coordinator available?
Yes
How many people do you have on staff?
11
What is your pricing model?
It can range from $25 per guest and up, the room rental fee is $500 and up – depending on time of day, day of week and time of year, usage of the room. The venue rents from between $500 and $1000 depending on the type of event. Our catering services are priced per person.
Which bride budget do you serve?
We have price points to assist all brides. Being a smaller venue can allow someone with a more modest budget go a little more over the top because the guest count is naturally less. However, we have had a Platinum Bride use our space for her luxe event – she even rented the billboard across the street and placed her Wedding monogram for all of Nashville to see.
What else should brides know about your venue?
It is all –inclusive – great for the bride who wants all details covered – no additional rentals are needed – we have everything in h house necessary to produce a complete event
What makes your venue so unique?
What do you pride yourself on? Our space is very non-traditional in appearance – with the original flooring and brickwork. – we also have a roof top deck that is always quite popular for guests to visit and see the skyline of Nashville. We love and embrace weddings by choice – we have always done weddings with our off-premise catering division so it was a natural progression to have onsite receptions and even ceremonies.
What special packages do you offer?
We offer a series of wedding packages that include everything from food to flowers. We also have packages available for rehearsal dinners and mitzvahs.
Give them a visit or read their blog to see how they can help you put together your wedding or rehearsal dinner and really make it an event you or your guests won't stop talking about!
Also, check out more of their weddings and events in our Wedding Venue Inspiration Gallery.
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Posted by Tabitha |
Filed under: Vendors & Venues
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Thursday, March 4, 2010
Rarely am I excited to make the drive to Goodlettsville (I can sense those of you who commute everyday rolling your eyes - sorry!) but last Thursday was an exception. Rush-hour traffic be damned, I happily drove to the Chef's Market Bridal Tasting Event. I made it there with ten minutes to spare and already a good crowd had arrived, eagerly waiting for the party to get started. Everyone, including me, was eyeing the dishes being set out on the yellow and green themed stations.
Paper cones with kettle chips make a great snack during cocktail hour, or even through the night.
Marquee lighting by Nashville Event Lighting
In true Chef's Market fashion, the entire area was decorated impeccably with paper cranes hanging from wooden branches, creative use of birdcages and really simple centerpieces of votives and clusters of moss. Nothing invasive, and it allowed for people to have good conversation over food.
Pictures courtesy of Donald Yeager Photography
Decadent brownies, mini cupcakes (orange sherbert, chocolate with marshmallows and strawberry) on the dessert table
Paper cranes - Such an effortless and easy DIY decorating idea.
Everything was really colorful and vibrant and, as usual, tasted fantastic. Because the food was really festive the serving platters were kept simple - round panes of glass sitting on moss-filled glass containers that were decorative but didn't steal the show from the fare.
A circular buffet table keeps the line flowing. Non-conventional serving platters and chaffing dishes aren't intrusive and are easier on the eyes!
We chowed down on little strawberry fields salads, tiny cones of orzo or quinoa, a scrumptious assortment of mini burgers (I had three cheeseburgers but they're mini so that's ok right?) and guests could choose between pan-fried chicken and mac' n cheese topped with a pepper jelly, or braised shortribs with a shiitake slaw.
Ashley had two servings of the chicken and mac and several mini burgers too. She's a very picky eater but wasn't shy at all!
Bite-sized food makes it easier for guests to mingle and eat at the same time. No unwieldy large plates or heavy silverware clattering all over!
This tasting was a good opportunity for brides to see Chef's Market showcase their cullinary and event design skills. Everything was set up as if you were at a reception from start to finish - they even had a wooden cart set up with goodie bags for guests to to take on their way out!
A fun alternative to a table for your favors
Brides who came got to chat with the creative minds at Chef's Market and the other wedding industry folk who attended. Ashley and I certainly had fun, and it's always nice to see what else Chef's Market can come up with. Tastings and open houses are events that aren't to be missed. They really provide insight into how companies operate, and it gives you a better feel for the vendor you are considering so keep checking our bridal events page for more of these to help with your planning!
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Posted by Tabitha |
Filed under: Cakes & Catering
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