Friday, July 31, 2009

A few weeks ago, ABG hosted a night out for engaged brides at Aloft hotel and we had a blast!

Special thanks to the planning team:

Here are the vendors who helped make the event possible:

Bride invitations/planning/hosting- Sarah Elizabeth (ABG bride)

Floral design - Brocade Design Arts

Event director - Simply Stunning Events

Catering - Down South Delights

Venue - Aloft Hotel

The event - all photos courtesy of Donald Yeager Photography

Brides chatted, mingling, asked lots of questions of one another and the vendor speakers.

Thankfully, Sarah (Planning with Sarah Elizabeth) and Kristin (Simply Stunning) were my co-hosts for the night because I was at the Toast of Music City awards program.

They greeted brides in the Aloft and directed them to the courtyard for mingling and cocktails.

bride discussing florals with Brocade

Kristin of Aloft spoke about party packages. You can download the packages here for bachelorette parties, bachelor parties and bridal showers.

Aloft then offered specialty cocktails - apple and blueberry. My favorite was the apple.

We then proceeded to the private room where Aloft had the cutest gift bags for brides. The bags included Sophia wine, lotion, pens, etc.

perfect room for bridal shower, small parties

event florals by Brocade

delicious shrimp!

Down South Delights catering was setup. and Down South Delights offered a medley of food. I like simple food - my palette is very kid-like, unsophisticated, I’ll admit that. So, I gravitated to the shrimp cocktail and the dessert. Shrimp - yummy! Vanilla bean cupcakes - tasty! Lemon pudding - OMG!! I had like 6 of them - I kid you not.

very pretty

but, this was my favorite - lemon smoothie pudding

Rita of Down South Delights gave tips on catering and shared trends. The main takeaway - don’t be bogged down by rules. If you want to have dinner at 3pm - go for it.

Budget Savvy Bride

Next up - Jessica of Budget Savvy Bride. She shared some of what she learned while planning her wedding and many DIY ideas. Brides asked questions and we all discussed money saving tips. One thing that stood out was the fact that it rained on her wedding day and luckily, she had a great team that had a plan b and c. Her team, including a day of coordinator, took care of everything without letting her know anything.

Lastly, Kristin of Simply Stunning shared wedding planning advice. She discussed ways to handle a difficult father in law who is footing the bill, makeup artist/hair/beauty recommendations, and her own wedding planning.

We wrapped up the event with more mingling. I found out that a lot of the brides are blogging.

Sarah, Cat, me, Chelsea, Jessica

Here’s a pic of most of the bloggers - we’re a fabulously cheesy bunch! Check out their blogs.

• planningsarahelizabeth.blogspot.com/
• simplystunningnashville.blogspot.com/
• thebudgetsavvybride.com/
• jesslehry.wordpress.com/
• downsouthdelights.wordpress.com/
• donaldyeagerphotography.typepad.com/
• brocadenashville.com/
• littlemisssouthern.blogspot.com/
• abrideinboots.blogspot.com/
• bigspoon-littlespoon.blogspot.com/
• the2smiths.blogspot.com/
• youretheanswer.blogspot.com

Thursday, July 30, 2009

I’ve featured the Relish invitations before. But, since Relish has a national customer base, this is the first Nashville wedding I’ve seen where the bride had Relish invites.

Here’s a portion of the recap from Cole and Lindsay’s wedding. Be sure to visit the Relish blog to read more about this Real Relish wedding.

Cole & Lindsay Brazier
Married March 21, 2009
at Christopher Palace Resort in Newport, Tennessee

Reception:
Saturday, May 16th
at Cumberland University in Lebanon, Tennessee

About the Couple:
Cole is from the middle TN area. He moved several times as a child for his father’s job, but went to high school in Manchester, TN at Coffee County High School. He attended college at Cumberland University where he played on the golf team and pursued a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Marketing. Cole now works for a staffing agency in Nashville, Spherion. His current hobbies are playing golf, PlayStation and following University of North Carolina basketball.

Lindsay is from Lebanon, TN. She went to high school at Mt. Juliet Christian Academy. She also attended Cumberland University to pursue a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Marketing with and minor in Art. She currently works for a recycling company in Nashville, PSC Metals. Her hobbies are freelance graphic design, reading, and cooking.

Cole and Lindsay met at Cumberland University and began dating their senior year. They now have a house in Lebanon, TN with the newest addition to their family, Ty the Golden Retriever.

How did he propose?
Cole and Lindsay had been discussing marriage for several months. He looked at rings and asked Lindsay what she liked. She was expected a ring any day, but every weekend and special occasion that passed, there was still no official proposal. One day, Cole finally admitted to Lindsay that he was having too much of a hard time picking out a ring that he knew she would like. He wanted to make sure she had the exact ring she wanted, so he asked her to go shopping with her. They found her ring at a local jewelry store and once it was purchased he got down on one knee and officially asked for Lindsay’s hand in marriage.

What were your colors and why did you choose them?
Black, Teal and Hot Pink. I actually saw these colors in a movie and loved them. The bridesmaids’ dresses were black with teal accessories and all of the flowers were hot pink roses. The invitations were black and white with a teal ribbon and teal text.

Who were your favorite vendors?
Christopher Place was wonderful! Once I booked the location for the weekend, they did everything. They provided a wedding planner that worked very hard to make sure the day went very smoothly. The location is a bed and breakfast sitting on top of a mountain in East TN. It was beautiful and perfect for taking great pictures.

I used K.G. Photography for my pictures. Kyle Gregory did an awesome job! I found him by referral. He went to high school with a close friend of mine and he actually photographed her wedding as well. I had worked with him at her wedding and thought he did a great job. I will definitely being using Kyle again in the future.

I used Cosmo Creations for my DJ. Kyle referred me to the company because they work together often. They did a wonderful job and quoted me the best price.

I used All About Holiday to rent several of my decorations. They are great people to work with. They are very laid back and fun people. They have a great selection to choose from as well.

Would you recommend Relish & Why?

I would recommend Relish for many reasons. Every couple is different and every Relish invitation is different! Weddings are becoming more and more individualized and I believe the invitations should reflect your own taste. The website gives customers the freedom and opportunity to actually design their own invitations with no guesswork. No matter what options they choose, the product will be beautiful and professionally made the customers’ own personal touch. The company is unique and everyone is so easy to work with!

There’s more! Visit the Relish blog.

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

If you missed TUBW (The Unabridged Bride Workshop) or Engaged Night Out this month, you really missed two wonderful treats. Both events were very informative - one focused on the emotional/practical advice aspects of weddings/marriages and the second focused on connecting and discussing wedding planning.

Brides - these are rare events and I so hope that you make time for the next bride-focused events. Most cities don’t offer and they have proven to be very beneficial. You really do need a community and we are working to help create a supportive group for women who are in the same stage of life as you.

Click here to view the workshops scheduled for September.

Louise has been kind enough to share her recap of UBW. I’ll have a recap of the Engaged Night Out soon.

Guest Post: Louise, a Nashville bride whose great blog can be found at The Thirty-Something Bride

Sarah, Liza, Marie, Sunny, Moi, CJ, Ashley, Krista

I could have avoided a good chunk of stress, frustration, WPM’s (Wedding Planning Meltdowns) and pre-marital throw-downs if I’d had The Unabridged Bride: A Workshop under my belt. Seriously.

OK, so this was the inaugural workshop for the Unabridged Bride and I thought it was big bowl of fabulosity. The workshop was held on Thursday at CJ’s Off the Square in the quaint historic town of Franklin, Tennessee, about 25 miles south of Nashville. It really is an awesome historic area.

The players in the workshop were Liza Hippler, bridal coach extraordinaire from Maiden to Married, CJ Dickson of Williamson County Weddings and Events and proprietor of CJ’s Off the Square, Ashley King of Ashley’s Bride Guide and Marie McKinney-Oates, of the Nashville Marriage Studio. The attendees ranged from weeks away from their wedding (yours truly), new-to-Nashville bride-to-be Sarah of local blog fame Sarah Elizabeth, Krista and Sunny.

We started off a little late, simply because we’re a chatty bunch. Liza got the show on the road and talked about how most weddings are focused on The Day versus The Marriage. We did a really cool guided meditation bit that was all about wedding visions, expectations and the connection one has with their partner. I’m all about yoga and meditation and thought it was super-groovy. We discussed the values we want to be represented on our wedding day and to keep those values handy at stressful planning times. These are the values I wrote down:

• Honor
• Commitment
• Relaxation
• Celebration with The Candyman
• Stylish Simplicity
• Closest Friends and Family

I’m not sure if those are all values or not, but it’s what I wrote down. After the workshop, I included Pledge of Community Support as well.

Next up was Ashley and she hit on the Budget topic. She had great personal input and fabulous ideas! For her own wedding, they budgeted a particular amount of people to be invited. They allotted a certain number in their head-count (to include all family and their friends) and then distributed equal amounts to each side of the family. If someone wanted to go over their number, they had to write the couple a check for the per person cost. I thought it was a fabulous idea! Of course, all of that was pre-arranged and discussed prior to the start of the planning process. She was adamant about that.

Now CJ is just fabulous in my book. This lady has got it going on. I told her I wanted to get a bottle of wine and sit down and just let her talk. I’m guessing as a planner and venue proprietor that she’s got some incredible wedding stories. Right? Anyway, there were two key elements that stuck out for me with her. First, she talked about how so many brides are “tortured by tradition.”

“But I have to have equal number of bridesmaids and groomsmen!”
“But the groom’s parents are supposed to pay for that!”
“Inner envelopes are a must! ”

Who the hell says so? The Knot? Martha Stewart? Your mother? Forget it all. There are no rules and it is way OK to be different.

Second, was wedding elements that are “socially constructed.” So many things that we socially construct around our weddings can be changed easily. For instance, The Candyman and I are not have a rehearsal dinner. We are having a rehearsal “gathering” at Aloft Hotel. We are having an early rehearsal, setting everyone free for dinner and The Candyman and I are going to have a private, intimate dinner alone. We’ll meet all of our friends, families and out of town guests at Aloft for socializing afterward. I think it will be awesome to have the down time with The Candyman and it will make it easier to talk to everyone at Aloft versus a sit down dinner. People are coming from far and wide and I want to make sure I get quality talk-time with everyone!

CJ avoiding the camera and Ashley, listening intently.

After CJ, Marie McKinney-Oates shared some great tips about how to be The Best Wife Ever: Five Behaviors of An Amazing Wife!

• Communicate! Communicate! Communicate!
• Do “you.” Being true to who you are.
• Know your buttons.
• Treat your marriage like a sanctuary.
• Let him know you enjoy sex with him.

One of the best and most true things Marie said that night was, “Marriage is a mirror being held up to you.” I can’t agree more with this.

Last, but certainly not least, was Liza’s hubby, Tom! He did a quickie review of life insurance and the importance of it. OK, Tom was such a charismatic force. Never in my life did I find life insurance so freaking exciting. He was funny, charming and most importantly, informative. Totally need to hear more. Seriously, it was that good.

Liza’s insurance selling hubby! He’s awesome!

We even got to take home some mini-floral arrangements by Petals by RJS! I totally snagged the bud vase that matches the ones I bought at Target!

Driving home that night I really thought a lot about the information and stories shared from everyone. I truly wish that I had heard all this seven months ago when The Candyman and I got engaged. I really think it would have saved me a lot of WPM’s and been less tortuous for The Candyman.

Hindsight is 20/20, but hopefully it’s not too late for others! Learn from The Thirty-Something Bride’s mistakes! I make so many, it’s hard to choose from, I know.

Thanks again to everyone who put this shindig together. It was a lot of fun and truly a gift!

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

We won! Thanks to you, AshleysBrideGuide.com (ABG) was named one of Nashville’s best blogs! This is our award. You voted and continue to visit and support ABG every daily.

Also, thanks for taking a moment to check out ABG advertisers. This site wouldn’t be possible without advertisers and I am thankful that you take time to visit or call them to learn more.

2009 Toast of Music City, Readers’ Choice - Best Blog

1. Nashvillest.com - great “all things Nashville” site
2. CoolPeopleCare.org - great site for volunteering
3. Ashley’s Bride Guide

Shameless plug: If you want tips on how to make your blog a favorite, don’t forget that I am hosting a blog camp that will feature a panel discussion with amazing Nashville bloggers, tips from brides, and a step-by-step blogging guide. If you have don’t have a blog for your wedding business or want to learn how to make yours even better, register now. ABG advertisers pay $75 for entire camp (code ABG), now through August 3rd. Brides are free for a limited time.

Back to the readers choice winners. I thought these might be of interest as you plan your Nashville wedding.

Best Spa

1. Relache Spa
2800 Opryland Drive
Nashville, 37214
615-458-1772

Nashvillians definitely got this right. I love Relache spa! They also offer specials for locals so if you go - be sure to tell them you’re from Nashville. Either way - plan to spend the whole day and take advantage of their pool, hot tub, and overall resort feel. This might be a great place for a bridal luncheon / day with your bridal party.

2. Woodhouse Day Spa
1175 Meridian Blvd., #100
Franklin, 37067
615-764-0004

I haven’t had a service here but I do know that Liza of Maiden to Married works here. I have been in the spa, just never had a service.

3. Magnolia Spa
1000 Main St., #106
Nashville, 37206
615-262-6652

This spa has been on my list of spas to check out for a while. I definitely need to check it out now!

Best Bakery

1. Cupcake Collection
1213 Sixth Ave. N.,
Nashville, 37208
615-224-2900

They offer a free cupcake on your birthday! I was just there last week for mine and my favorite is their chocolate cupcake. nd, their cupcakes are only $1.50. You won’t find a gourmet cupcake for less than theirs. They have a ton of flavors - including strawberry lemonade, caramel, red velvet, etc.

2. Homestyle Bakery
2709 Murfreesboro Road
Antioch, 37013
615-367-2355

I really love their blueberry donuts and their wedding cake which is usually good. Most people I know really like their cakes. I visited their booth last year and took a pic of this wedding cake.

2. Sweet 16th Bakery
311 N. 16th St.
Nashville, 37206
615-226-8367

It’s never open when I drive by but hopefully I can catch it and check out their sweets.

Best Jewelry Store

1. Elizabeth Gregory Fine Jewelry
214 Ward Circle
Brentwood, 37027
615-370-5565

2. Jerry Lindsey Custom Jewelry
5008 Thoroughbred Lane
Brentwood, 37027
615-373-2902

3. Brentwood Jewelers
7012 Church St. E.
Brentwood, 37027
615-373-5959

Best Salon

1. Trendz
2176 Hillsboro Road
Franklin, 37069
615-790-0545

2. Bishop’s Salon & Day Spa
35 Belle Forest Circle
Nashville, 37221
615-646-2722

3. Shay’s Studio
606 W. Iris Drive
Nashville, 37204
615-460-9777

Best Hotel

1. Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center
2810 Opryland Drive
Nashville, 37215
615-251-8737

2. Hermitage Hotel
231 Sixth Ave. N.
Nashville, 37219
615-244-3121

3. Hutton Hotel
1808 West End Ave.
Nashville, 37203
615-340-9333

This is one hot hotel! Definitely worthy of the recognition.

Best Florist

1. A Village of Flowers
1712 21st Ave. S.
Nashville, 37212
615-369-3030

They have a very talented team. I’ve worked with Jen of Reveal and she works with Village as an event stylist. Their work is fabulous! They did these followers for the hot pink wedding that I featured last week.

2. Granny’s Flower Shop
2911 12th Ave. S.
Nashville, 37204
615-297-3776

3. Custom Baskets and Bouquets
1532 Stone Hill Road
Mt. Juliet, 37122
615-773-6031

Best Place to Get Married

1. Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center
2810 Opryland Drive
Nashville, 37215
615-251-8737

2. Cheekwood Botanical Garden & Museum of Art
1200 Forrest Park Drive
Nashville, 37205
615-353-6964

3. Belle Meade Plantation
5025 Harding Road
Nashville, 37205
615-356-0501

There were many more categories that have nothing to do with weddings but are great local finds. Check ‘em out!

Monday, July 27, 2009

Last week, I shared the best cakes, brides’ favorites from the show and a few decor/event stylist vendors who were at the bridal show. I have two more days of goodies to share.

Here are a few decor / staging vendors and bridal gown salons of note.

Blue Nova Designs

They worked with the show producers to create The Pink Room. Blue Nova did the drapes - which were like 20 feet high.

close up of the fabulous draping by Blue Nova

Blue Nova can do custom drapes and linen to achieve any look you are seeking.

Fairy Tale Runner

In addition to being attractive, these runners were made of canvas and were of super high quality.

White Table

This is a Knoxville based company but they deliver gorgeous linens to the Nashville area. They are offering 25% off if you use coupon code NashBridalShow25.

Bridal Gowns:

Cherished Memories

The White Room