Boutonniere Inspiration for Grooms by Nashville’s Enchanted Florist

Monday, June 24, 2013

Boutonnieres have come a long way from being just an afterthought to making a statement.  If you havent seen how far boutonniere design has come, take a look at these recent florals, all created by Nashville's Enchanted Florist.

Photo: Erin Smagala Photography; Photo: Brandon Chesboro Photography

Photos above: Ulmer Studios

Photos above: Dove Wedding Photography

Photos above: The Collection

Photo: Photographix

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Posted by Ashley of Ashley's Bride Guide | Filed under: Florals, Details & Design , Grooms, Groomsmen & Tuxedos , Inspiration & Trends 0 comments »

Bride & Groom Peruse Antique Stores, Find Perfect Decor for Vintage, Nashville Wedding at The aVenue

Friday, June 21, 2013

Kate and Mark and are so complementary that they make wedding planning look effortless.  Not only do they share a love for TV and movies (which is great for their marriage), they are also drawn to vintage and repurposed pieces (which was great for their wedding).  With so much in common, they knew immediately that aVenue was the venue for their wedding reception and everything else just fell in line.

Having gone to college here, I love Nashville like a second home, so once we decided to get married outside of Ohio the choice was clear. As soon as we walked into aVenue, we knew that we were done searching for a reception venue. The exposed brick walls and ceiling beams satisfied our affinity for vintage, but offered a canvas that was malleable to any aesthetic. We wanted our wedding to not only reflect our personalities, but complement the beauty of the space as well so our aesthetic quickly evolved from shabby chic to the rustic, industrial chic style that we’ve embraced.

Once we decided on our aesthetic we started focusing on how the wedding could reflect our personalities. We first met in law school and immediately bonded over our mutual love for quoting movies and television shows and making one another laugh. We knew that we had to incorporate that side of our personalities into the wedding, so we spent hours putting together inside jokes and funny stories to print on “Did You Know” cards that were incorporated into the wedding and reception.

To date, our favorite is still: Kate and Mark’s top 3 favorite movies are: 1. Jurassic Park 2. Jurassic Park 3. Jurassic Park (This is not a typographical error)

What was the favorite aspect of your wedding? 

Our favorite aspect of the wedding was being surrounded by our family and friends on such an amazing day. A close second was walking into The aVenue and the Pinnacle and seeing our vision come to life. Laurie’s execution was flawless and we honestly couldn’t have hoped for a more perfect day.
We’ve heard a number of things from our guests about their favorite aspects of the wedding, but the overall consensus seems to be the food and the raging dance party later in the evening.

Where did you splurge?  Where did you save/DIY?

It’s hard to say where we splurged. While we initially set a budget, we’d be lying if we said the final invoice looked anything like the original budget. We hadn’t intended on spending as much on flowers as we eventually did, but once we agreed on an overall aesthetic we knew that the flowers were key to making our vision a reality. We also sprung for some amazing vintage pieces from Stockroom Vintage that I just couldn’t turn down.

In terms of DIY, we bought a lot of the décor ourselves. Mark and I, as well as my mom and I, spent hours (Mark: literally, hours) perusing antique stores looking for mason jars, apothecary bottles, vintage windows and doors, anything that I thought might fit within our aesthetic. With the help of my talented friend and graphic designer, Caroline, we also put together our own save-the-date handkerchiefs using a stamp that Caroline designed. While the antiquing may not have been Mark’s idea of a good time, we loved spending time together and putting together all of the pieces that would make our wedding a reflection of who we are as a couple.

Now that the wedding day is over, is there anything about your planning process you feel you could have done differently?

Now that the wedding is over, there isn’t much we would do differently. At times I was pretty stressed about finding the perfect vintage this, that or the other thing, but it’s hard to regret it when we were so in love with the end result.

Have fun together while you’re planning, let people help you, and embrace every moment of your wedding day because it goes by so quickly.

Our Wedding Team

Planner | Laurie Hardman, Randi Events
Photographer | Krista Lee Photography 
Reception Venue | aVenue
Gown | Jim Hjelm/ La Jeune Mariee Bridal Boutique, Worthington, Ohio
Bride’s Accessories | Paris earrings; Sara Gabriel veil; Christian Louboutin shoes
Men’s Attire | Groom - Hugo Boss, Groomsmen - black suit of their choosing
Bridesmaid’s Attire | J Crew
Hair & Makeup | Amy Lynn Larwig
Stationary | Pumpkinhead Paperie
Caterer & Cake | Chef’s Market 
Cupcakes | The Cupcake Collection 
Floral Designer | Branching Out Event Florist
Ceremony Musicians | Hands of Time
Reception Band | Hands of Time
DJ | Nashville Party Authority 
Rentals | Southern Events, Stockroom Vintage, Music City Tent & Events & various vendors through Randi Events
Lighting | Nashville Audio Visual
Transportation | Trolley from FADDS Party Bus
Guest Accommodations | Hilton Nashville, Hilton Garden Inn Vanderbilt & Hampton Inn & Suites Nashville Downtown
Invitations | Hillary Cannon of Feather Letter
Calligraphy | Ginger English of The English Letter

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Posted by Ashley of Ashley's Bride Guide | Filed under: Luxury Nashville Wedding Finds 0 comments »

Cake Stories: At The Cupcake Collection, Every Couple is Different; Every Cake Has a Story

Thursday, June 20, 2013

There is a bakery in Nashville's Germantown area known for its cupcakes, The Cupcake Collection.  Usually there is a line out the door of folks waiting to grab these $1.50 cupcakes by the dozen for parties, co-workers, or simple sweet treats.  What most folks don't know is that that The Cupcake Collection also designs wedding cakes for their in-the-know engaged, bakery clients.  

Mignon and her husband co-design each cake and the result, time after time, is an artful masterpiece.  How do they continue to create cakes that are so distinct?  They invest quality time getting to know each couple and design a cake just for them.  Ask any of their brides or grooms and you will find that The Cupcake Collection's get-to-know-you approach is quite remarkable.  

Below are some of their recent cake creations.  Enjoy each cake's story and then allow Mignon to get to know you and to design your custom wedding cake. 

A Henna Surprise

One of The Cupcake Collection's regulars was an Indian bride-to-be.  She was a simple bride, definitely not a floral cake girl.  She didn't provide much direction opting to give Mignon with full creative control.  All that she asked was that the cake incorporate peacocks, which are significant in her culture and would be repeated in her wedding theme.  

With that, Mignon gave the design some thought.  When the bride's sister happened to come into the bakery, Mignon asked more about the bride and the wedding, hoping to get something a bit more personal to include on the cake.  The sister mentioned that the bride would be decorated in henna on the day of her wedding.  Mignon asked the sister to take photos on the wedding day of the bride's henna.  The sister texted the photos and The Cupcake Collection got to work.  Hours before her wedding cake was to be delivered, The Cupcake Collection added the intricate henna details to surprise the bride with a personal touch.

The bride was elated and stated that her cake was "the most beautiful cake I've ever seen."

Jim vs Jack

When a Kentucky guy proposed to a Tennessee gal, there was a constant joke that among the families that someone was going to lose their hometown favorite Bourbon.  And it certainly looked like the loser would be the groom!  Not to fear, his soon to be in-laws commissoned The Cupcake Collection to create a cake version of his favorite drink, which would serve as his last bottle.  The parents even added a special message on the bottle's warning label.  

The cake was a hit! It was a surprise for the groom that even surprised many of the staff and guests who thought it was the real thing and not cake!  

Loveless Style

For an upcoming photo shoot, the folks at Enchanted Brides and Loveless Cafe asked The Cupcake Collection to design a cake that a southern bride would love.  The result is the above design - a 4-tier cake that represents many of the simple but elegant details that today's brides appreciate.  Each tier is different.  The top layer is covered in sugar crystals; middle tier is buttercream; bottom tier is the ever popular ruffle design.

An Artful Nod to Music City

The Cupcake Collection is really great about listening to what their couples say and what they do not say.  This reading between the lines helps them deliver beyond what clients can articulate.  Such was the case with a bride who was marrying a musician and chose to wed right here to celebrate Music City.  All she knew was that she wanted an all white cake with piano keys, one that was feminine with flowers, but certainly not roses.  She wasn't quite sure how to articulate her style but left saying "I will know it when I see it."  

Eventually she trusted Mignon to pull together the disparate pieces of her vision. With the bride's trust, The Cupcake Collection went to work.  Mignon further questioned the bride's style. "You say you are simple but you really aren't,  I sense you like a little wow but you don't like bling.  You appreciate a timeless style but one with a bit of drama, like a big strand of pearls?" That description immediately resonated with the bride and her aesthetic was solidified!  The designers were left with the challenge of making a cake with piano keys while working with an all white color palette.  With an all artist design team, they knew anything was possible.  

Their result was a cake that combined femininity, music and flowers all in a timeless style. The dramatic cake is a pure piece of art that the bride loved! 

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Posted by Ashley of Ashley's Bride Guide | Filed under: Cakes & Food 0 comments »

Big Wedding Spaces: The Country Music Hall of Fame’s New Spaces Will Accommodate Up to 600 Guests!

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

This October, Nashville brides with a large guest list will have a new option for their reception - the Country Music Hall of Fame.   The Country Music Hall of Fame is already a favorite wedding space - because of its location, exhibits, and beautiful views - but its buildout is underway to host even larger weddings and events.  Once the contruction is complete, the museum will be able to accomodate from 25 to 600 guests!  No other non-hotel space in Nashville has such capacity for events.

I have list the details on the new spaces - from room capacities to how the spaces can be used.  The new spaces can be reserved now for weddings after October.  Contact Mary Ann at The Country Music Hall of Fame to be one of the first Nashville weddings in the new space.  I can't wait to feature your wedding!  

Event Hall
Capacity: 1,200 Reception | 600 Banquet

The largest addition to The Country Music Hall of Fame space is their 10,000-square-foot Event Hall.  The Event Hall, with soaring 40-foot glass windows overlooking downtown, will provide an unequaled view of the cityscape. This new Nashville gem will present an awe-inspiring space for receptions, dinners.  The Event Hall is surrounded by other incredible spaces, such as a lobby and terrace, all of which can be rented allowing your guests to walk easily between the spaces for perhaps cocktails, your wedding dinner and then a post-wedding party. 

Event Hall Lobby
Capacity: 600 Reception 

The Event Hall Lobby is perfect for receptions preceding events in the Hall.

The Carlton Terrace
Capacity: 400 Reception | 200 Banquet 

The Carlton Terrace will be the most welcoming outdoor space in the city — an idyllic setting for receptions, outdoor dinners and weddings, as well as a unique venue for live music. This beautiful space will be adjacent to the Event Hall and Lobby.

Grand Foyer
Capacity: 750 Reception | 400 Banquet

This space will serve as the perfect location for pre-wedding events, as well as breakfast or lunch. 

Private Dining Room
Dining/Meeting Capacity: 25

The Private Dining Room will be the perfect space for a rehearsal dinner, bridal luncheon, or any intimate group dining.  The room also possesses one of many magnificent views of the downtown Nashville skyline, and will be ideal for entertaining guests. 

All photo renderings are courtesy of the Country Music Hall of Fame.

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Posted by Ashley of Ashley's Bride Guide | Filed under: Wedding Venues and Locations 0 comments »