Wednesday, April 25, 2012
When our friend Michelle Stepp of Everyday Celebrating reached out to us for recommendations for a floral designer for the Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) Blue Tie Gala, The Enchanted Florist was at the top of our list. Their floral design skills run the gamut from small, intimate weddings to large-scale, wedding extravaganzas and their versatility knows no bounds. You can tell a well-rounded floral designer based on the styles and types of events they do and because Enchanted Florist doesn't limit their scope to just weddings, they're always on the forefront of what works for various styles and spaces.
While the MTSU event is clearly not a wedding, their event was stunning and might serve as inspiration for your wedding, especially the unique floral centerpieces that were different for just about every table! Have a look!
Michelle was the lead event planner who came up with the concept, design and logistics of the event. We asked her about working with Enchanted Florist and she said, "Working with Caprice and her team was a dream! In our initial meeting, we spoke at length about my vision for the space. Caprice was extremely helpful in taking my inspirational photos and giving me many options to not only bring my vision to life, but stay within budget."
The color scheme for the gala was royal blue and white - MTSU's school colors.
Michelle: "The MTSU Blue Tie Gala served as the official grand kick off to the school's Centennial year. It was a birthday party, 100 years in the making! Our event was a large undertaking with 120 guest tables (1200 guests), plus a lounge area to decorate. On the day of Gala, Caprice and her team descended on the event space with stunning work and cheerful attitudes. They had everything installed within an hour and were back at midnight to help with tear down. We were thrilled to have them on board!"
Event Team:
Venue - Embassy Suites Murfreesboro
Catering - Embassy Suites
Rentals - Classic Party Rentals (Nashville)
Draping - Events Plus, Inc.
Lighting and Sound - MTSU Production Services
Fabric Photo Murals - The Very Idea (Murfreesboro)
Flowers - Enchanted Florist
Cake - Lenneke Driskill
Dinner and Lounge Music - MTSU Jazz Ensemble
After Dinner Band (for dancing) - The Tyrone Smith Revue
Photo Favors - Schenk Photography
Photography - Andrea Hallgren Photography
All photos by Andrea Hallgren Photography
Thank you Michelle for telling us a little bit more about the event. For more beautiful floral design visit Enchanted Florist's blog for florals that will take your breath away.
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Posted by Ashley of Ashley's Bride Guide |
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Tuesday, April 24, 2012
I'm a picky eater; everyone knows that. Unfortunately, it's not something that I can easily hide. So, when I sample cakes, foods from local wedding caterers and cake artist, I usually apologize from the onset for my picky palette. There are a few caterers around the city that have won over my palette, and Beyond Details is one of them!
A few weeks ago, I was invited for a one-on-one tasting at Beyond Details Catering and Floral Design, which is located in Edgehille Village next to StudioWed. The office is super chic, but don't let the looks fool ya, there is real cooking going on behind the scenes. This is a company that does food and design very well. (Don't believe me - check out their website gallery.) Brandy and Jacob brought me plate after plate of delicious meals and my picky palette was surprised each and every time. I felt like Dr. Seuss' Green Eggs and Ham, as I tried and liked carrot souflle and casseroles that I would have never tried before.
This weekend, they are hosting another tasting for couples and wedding planners. If you have not yet hired your wedding caterer, I would highly recommend that you contact them TODAY to reserve a spot on their tasting schedule for this weekend or work with Brandy to schedule a tasting for a later date. You will thank me!
Here are some photos of their wonderfully catered and designed events.
Can't attend the tasting this weekend? Call Brandy at 615.480.8417 to schedule a time that works best for you. (All photos courtesy of the Beyond Details website.)
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Posted by Ashley of Ashley's Bride Guide |
Filed under: Cakes & Food, Details, Design & Florals
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Monday, April 23, 2012
When it comes to Cedarwood weddings, the one thing you'll notice with each is an incredible theme, perfectly executed, from "Burlap and Bling," "French Classic," "Literary Love," and so on. It may look like a lot of work with all the props, flowers, stationery, and whatever else falls under the "rental" category, but it's not a lot of work for the bride and groom. Particularly when you have your wedding at Cedarwood, the rentals are included or if they do not have what you love, they work with you to find it.
Recently, Cedarwood had a Style Show where attendees were able to see, up close, just how awesome the Cedarwood design team can be when it comes to wedding decor.
Photo by Dove Wedding Photography
Because Cedarwood's design team are so comfortable and familiar with the venue, once you give them your ideas they know exactly where things can be placed to achieve your vision. As Linda Wright, owner of Cedarwood, explained, "Cedarwood owners come from an extensive wedding design background and they pour their passion for styling into creating the most magical events imaginable. The consistency in quality of Cedarwood weddings is apparent by looking through features on Cedarwood weddings. Everything is handled by the Cedarwood team, who are hands on throughout the entire process. They will take a bride’s ideas and turn them into a cohesive designer look for the wedding."
Photos by (left) Krista Lee Photography and (right) Dove Wedding Photography
Photos by Krista Lee Photography
Photos by Ace Photography
Cedarwood's designers have a pulse on what brides are seeking, which allows them to keep just the right inventory of enviable decorative props from milk glass to old jars in various colors to tin cans and china for you to use to your heart's content. This saves you the extra effort of searching for vintage objects if that's the look you're going for, and saves you some rental costs as well.
Linda: "Vintage rental companies are popping up to provide access to antique and vintage furniture and accessories so brides don’t have to invest for one time use. A great idea, but rentals still add cost to the overall budget. Cedarwood has a large inventory of décor that is available to our brides at no extra cost! Just ask for a tour of the Cedarwood props barn and let your imagination loose!"
Photo by Dove Wedding Photography
Cedarwood uses the term "up-cycling" where found, old objects are used to decorate for an authentically vintage look and feel. One man's trash is your beautiful wedding decor!
Photos by Krista Lee Photography
Cedarwood does a wonderful job caring for and tending to the grounds at the venue; the team knows the value of nature and the huge part it plays in what they do so it's only natural (pun not intended) that they are also eco-conscious with their design practices.
Linda: "Cedarwood offers several eco-friendly wedding options, including farm fresh flower bouquets, picked from the estate gardens or neighboring farms. To leave something green behind, a "Love Grows" flower or tree unity ceremony is a popular option. Cedarwood's naturally organic setting for both the ceremony and reception eliminates guest travel. Our limited plastics policy and recycling are inherent in all wedding celebrations. Locally-grown whole food reception options using organic produce, community supported agriculture are options at Cedarwood."
ABG Notes: Herbs are a great alternative to flowers that may have to be shipped.
Photos by (left) Krista Lee Photography and (right) Kristyn Hogan.
Click here to see more details and concepts from the Style Show and be prepared to be amazed. For more information on Cedarwood visit their website at CedarwoodWeddings.com.
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Posted by Tabitha |
Filed under: Bridal Shows & Events, Wedding Venues and Locations
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Friday, April 20, 2012
We recently finished our Smart Bride Bootcamp with the last session at Houston Station where brides got to take a tour of the facilities. So we thought it'd be cool to feature a wedding that took there, so you don't miss out on anything either! Houston Station really is a decor and design playground. When bride and groom, Kelli and Anthony got married at Houston Station, they personalized their wedding with monograms and custom stationery to match their purple and blue theme. The couple worked with Music City Events to create a romantic evening, adding a fun twist with some personalized signature drinks for the evening. Enjoy!
Kelli + Anthony
Date ~ November 12, 2011
Ceremony + Reception Venue ~ Houston Station
Guests ~ 150
Budget
$20,000 – 35,000
Wedding Team
Planner | Sarah Willard, Music City Events
Photographer | Joe Hendricks Photography
Gown | David’s Bridal
Bride's Accssories | Earrings from Macy’s and necklace borrowed from a friend.
Groom + Groomsmen's Attire | Jos. A Bank
Bridesmaids Attire | David’s Bridal
Hair | Shannon Jones
Makeup | Lisa Buckleman, Face the Day
Stationery | Get Relish
Ceremony Musicians | The Little Ensemble
Reception Musicians | MC productions
Transportation | Lifestyle Limos
Caterer | Two Fat Men Catering
Cake Artist | We chose not to have cake! But, we did have a dessert bar by Two Fat Men Catering
Guest Accommodations | Double Tree and Hotel Indigo in downtown Nashville
Our Wedding Details
How would you describe your style as a couple?
We’re pretty laid back and simple. I’m not sure we have a “style”.
How did you incorporate that style into your wedding?
We loved the venue because it was plain and simple. The awesome exposed brick and wood floors are beautiful at Houston Station. It’s like a blank canvas; you could do anything with it. We really like it the way it is though so we wanted the decorations to be simple. Not a lot of frill. The centerpieces were simple and beautiful as well as the lighting. Sarah was a big help with all the decorating and everything really. She would design and create options and we would say yay or nay and she would change it! I’m sure had we had to do it ourselves it would not have turned out as beautiful as it did.
What was the favorite aspect of your wedding?
I loved it all really but probably the food and the flowers. I also really loved the lighting and all the stationary (invites, bar menus, etc) that Sarah designed.
ABG Notes: Kim, another part of Music City Events, hand wrote the entire seating chart seen above on the repurposed window!
Where did you splurge?
Photography, food, and DJ.
Where did you save/DIY?
We saved some by not having a cake. Neither one of us are big cake eaters so it didn’t matter to us if we had one or not. We also made our own welcome bags for our guests.
Now that the wedding day is over, is there anything about your planning process you feel you could have done differently?
Nothing about the process! I was happy with the planning. I wish we would have planned better at gathering extended family members for pictures. We don’t have any with Anthony and I both in the picture.
In one sentence, what words of advice do you have for couples in the midst of their planning?
Hire a wedding planner!!!!!
Thank you to Music City Events and Joe Hendricks Photography for sharing these beautiful pictures and details. For more weddings from Music City Events be sure to check out her website and let her know you're an ABG bride to receive their special offer just for you.
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Posted by Tabitha |
Filed under: Real Nashville Weddings
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Thursday, April 19, 2012
The Collection has put together a few photo tips for use when creating your wedding day timeline! That's right, when considering the start time for your wedding day, there's more than just when your venue is available or what time you think your bridesmaids and groomsmen will drag out of bed to get the day started. But that's why we have the experts help us with the details!
From Erin of The Collection...
So you’ve got the ideal location, the perfect dress, the most beautiful flowers and you’ve spent way too much time on Pinterest designing your fairytale wedding that now you also have your dream kitchen designed too. When I was asked to write an educational article for Ashley’s Bride Guide, I knew exactly what I wanted to write about - The Photography Timeline.
This very important piece of the puzzle is often taken for granted. Let me reword that. It’s not taken for granted so much as brides are not given a good, feasible base to build on.
You’ve looked at tons and tons of photographers and you’ve decided on one that you love. Their style, their personality, and their product fit your needs, and most importantly you trust them. Your photographer has an idea of how long they will need on your special day to shoot the type of photographs you fell in love with. As a bride though, you will set the framework for what they build your timeline off of and if they will be able to get those shots you have your heart set on.
Here are four things you should consider when it comes to your wedding photographs and before you send out your invitations!
1) Sunset + Your Ceremony Time
Whether you’re getting married inside or outside this will affect your photographs the most. A lot of couples like to have their outdoor ceremonies at sunset during the summer, it’s cooler for their guests and it is also more romantic! When you check the time for sunset, realize that the time shown means it will be dark, not becoming dark. If you are not doing any photographs after your ceremony, and you want to have your ceremony at sunset, I would recommend starting your ceremony no later than one hour before. A typical ceremony is usually around 30 minutes and there will still plenty of light for your photographer.
If you are getting married inside, depending on your location, your photographer may not be allowed to use flash during the ceremony. While cameras have come a long way, your photographs are going to look a lot prettier if there is some sort of light source. If the location you're using has stage lighting or overhead lighting, that might be enough. If you’re concerned, discuss the lighting setup with your photographer before you set your ceremony time.
2) Not Seeing Each Other Before
I will never tell my clients that they need to see each other before the ceremony, but this is an important timeline discussion. I know how much time I need for each portion of the day to shoot what my clients expect and how to achieve it in the least stressful way possible. If a bride and groom decide to wait to see each other until the ceremony, to get the photographs that my clients expect from me after the ceremony I typically need an hour and a half. Here is how that time breaks down.
Every photographer is different, but I like to have at least 30 minutes for full family photographs, 30 minutes for full bridal party photographs, and at least 30 minutes for bride and groom photographs. My clients tend to hire me because for the most part, I photograph in natural light; therefore, I prefer to start shooting 2 hours before sunset. I want to be done shooting 30 minutes before it’s dark. Having this amount of time, takes a lot of stress out of the photographs and gives us more time to make the most of your images. If you're rushed your body will show it - either you won't look at the camera or your body will appear tense. I try hard to make even those rushed moments fun, but it always helps to have a few extra minutes!
While we are on the topic of stress, you may also want to schedule a cocktail hour for your guests while you’re getting your photographs done, it’s a great distraction for them and you're not worried about people becoming impatient for your presence and for food.
3) Bride's Hair + Makeup
Hair and makeup takes a long time! Especially if you have one person to make you look beautiful and do all of the bridesmaids hair and makeup. The majority of the time I have had photographs run behind is because hair and makeup ran behind. Talk to your hair and makeup artist and ask how much time she or he will need. I would add some buffer time on top of that for reworks, a late bridesmaid, etc.
I personally only need to get 10-15 minutes to get photographs of a bride having her hair and makeup done. If your hair and makeup artist is telling you that it’s going to take two hours and I am supposed to start shooting at 2 p.m., I would recommend you see if you can start getting your hair and makeup done no later than 12:30-12:45. That is if they are coming to you. If you’re going to them, make sure to always schedule travel time.
4) Family Photographs
Oh family photographs. The part of the wedding where you hear “Where is Uncle Bob?” And then when you find Uncle Bob and get him in the group for the photograph. “Uncle Bob, stop talking and just smile.” As simple as these photographs can be, they can also be the most challenging, because many times you are dealing with the large group of people. This takes time!
Gathering everyone together (5 minutes looking for Uncle Bob), getting them in position, getting them all to look at you, getting the 3-year-old to stop picking his nose, getting everyone to stop telling the 3-year-old to stop picking his nose and look at you again, takes time. Some family photographs go super quickly, but you just never know. Discuss with your photographer how long they like to have for photographs and also discuss with them how many people (approximately) you’re going to want in those photographs. You may need to add more time than what is normal. No one wants the church lady getting angry at you because you need to be out of the building and no bride wants the guests to see her before the wedding. If this discussion happens beforehand it can make this area a lot smoother.
Take the time to discuss these four areas with your photographer and planner. My personal goal is to give my clients beautiful images and a stress free day. My timeline is built to do just that. You are hiring your photographer because you love their work and because you trust them. Utilize that resource and I guarantee you will not regret it.
All photos by Erin Lee of The Collection
We hope that all of this info from Erin is helpful and will set your timeline into a day that is clear, well executed. We hope everything about your day is perfect! And if you are now convinced that Erin is the photographer for you, make sure to mention that you saw her post on AshleysBrideGuide.com!
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Posted by The Collection |
Filed under: Advice & Planning, Photography
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