Thursday, October 1, 2015
Spontaneity in Jamaica sounds like a dream. Luckily for Stephanie and Daniel, their honeymoon was exactly that! Personal planning was the norm for the couple, but this time their all-inclusive trip to the breathtaking location in Jamaica gave them the experience of a lifetime, with the help of Carlie of 2 Travel Anywhere! Although Stephanie was more inclined to the hiking lifestyle, Daniel’s relaxation suggestion was exactly what they needed. Exploring gorgeous islands, eating delicious cuisine, and an ocean adventure? They got to experience all of that!
Read more about their terrific experience in Jamaica down below!
Stephanie + Daniel
Place of residence: Nashville, TN
Wedding Date: May 10, 2015
Honeymoon Dates: May 12-18, 2015
Honeymoon Location: Jamaica
Planning your honeymoon
Was the honeymoon a surprise, did one of you plan it, or did you plan it together?
We planned it together with Carlie Finch of 2 Travel Anywhere.
What was your vision for your honeymoon - relaxation, romance, adventure, sight seeing, other?
We were hoping to do NOTHING but be together: take in Jamaica, eat, drink, read, and talk.
Did you always agree on your honeymoon vision?
At first, the thought of doing nothing was crazy to me; my vacations have always consisted of hiking mountains, kayaking for miles, following a bird migration, etc., but Daniel was very convincing. : ) Relaxation was just what we needed.
How did you choose/plan your honeymoon location and activities?
We planned each morning over a coffee and pastry at the on-site café. We would choose a restaurant minutes before and be very spontaneous about boat trips, kayaking, etc. More than anything, we just wanted to sit together and enjoy God’s creation.
How did you learn about 2 Travel Anywhere?
I met Carlie at a bridal show at the Omni hotel. My father got me tickets as a surprise to find inspiration!
Did you consider planning your honeymoon without a travel service? Why did you choose to work with Carlie?
Yes; I have always planned travel without an agent or any help. And, boy, am I SO glad we used her. We just loved talking to her! She’s the kind of person we want to meet up with for coffee and be friends with.
Your honeymoon
What were some of your activities?
Trying each restaurant at least once, kayaking, snorkeling, swimming, exploring the rest of the island down from the resort.
What was the best part about your honeymoon?
The best part was NOT planning: a first for me. We read, held hands, ate plenty of desserts, drank most of the piña coladas at the resort, and had the best time.
Recommendations
Would you recommend this island, city, location?
I would definitely recommend going to Jamaica through Carlie. Having everything taken care of and all-inclusive is the best way to spend your first days together as a married couple.
Would you recommend this resort?
Yes; it was clean, not crowded AT ALL, and everyone was extremely friendly.
share
Posted by Taylor |
Filed under: Honeymoon and Post Wedding, Real Nashville Brides,
0 comments »
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
Outside of buying a home or a car, your wedding will be one of your largest life expenditures. Therefore, your wedding is the perfect time to support all of the businesses that call Nashville home. When it comes to men's formalwear, your best option is Street Tuxedo - a locally-owned and operated business. The difference with Street Tuxedo is that the people you’re working with actually care about you, unlike a lot of big department stores. Learning all about Street Tuxedo will make you wish you could go to them for more than just tuxes.
Rachael Street Howell was an amazing person to speak with regarding this business. She and her family run Street Tuxedo, and, after speaking with her, we fell in love with the business even more!
A Nashville Original
Street Tuxedo opened their first location in Madison, TN, and they have since grown to serve other areas of town including Cool Springs, Murfreesboro, Berry Hill, and Green Hills. They contribute to the Tennessee economy by supporting ten full-time employees and a number of part-time employees throughout the year. They also enjoy contributing to a number of charities and local schools in various ways.
Street Tuxedo's initial location, started as Kornman's Department Store, in Madison TN.
“We love Nashville. We grew up here, and it’s a great place to live and run a business. I can’t express how much we care about our business and customer service. I wish the public could know how many hours we spend on how we can do better, and what we can do to be different and give them a more awesome experience. We don’t want you to only be getting a tuxedo, but also a fantastic experience!”
Let’s get down to the nitty gritty stuff, like why Street Tuxedo is a great choice for you and your wedding.
Family-Owned and Operated
“We’re very hands-on, and we have the ability to give amazing customer service because we care about the people so much," says Rachael.
This family-owned and operated business is willing to drop what they’re doing on a Saturday just for you, and they’re happy to do it! Even if it’s something as simple as fixing a button that you’ve popped off your tux.
Left: Family and friends celebrate the opening of the Murfreesboro, TN location; Right: Founder Mark Street
Incredible Service, Style, and Selection
“We have a concierge service to do everything you need. We really want to be a part of your day, not just shove you out the door after you get your tuxedos. We want our customers to have the best experience possible and we’ll do whatever we have to in order to make that happen.”
Whether you have an idea of what you want, or no idea at all, when you choose Street Tuxedo, they can help you put together that perfect look! Usually they'll base their color and style recommendations on the season of your wedding and other details, like the bridesmaids' dresses. You can expect an experienced style consultant to assist you during your appointment and a free try-on for your groom where you can see what everything looks like in person. You’ll never have to question what to do next as Street Tuxedo guides you through the entire engagement.
“We’re there for them as much or as little as they want us to be,” which is why Street Tuxedo is the most flexible place for men’s formal wear in Nashville. Period.
Street Tuxedo's concierge service in action
Another amazing perk of this local business is that they get to go to market each year to select which styles they will bring to the Nashville area. The Street Tuxedo family knows which items customers want and makes sure the latest trends are in stock, while many big stores often lag the fashion trends by years. “If we hear our customers say they want purple tuxedos, then that’s what we’re going to look for. We watch celebrities, athletes, and trends, plus we listen to our customers. That’s how we decide what we buy.”
Whether you believe in supporting Nashville-based businesses or just want the best service for your wedding that you can find, you’ll want to keep Street Tuxedo on your must-visit list. Right now they're offering a special of $40 off each groomsman's rental, and the groom's rental is free with five or more tuxes. You can’t get any better than that! Check out Street Tuxedo's multiple locations all around our beautiful city or get to know them better via Instragram or Facebook. You won't regret allowing them to take care of all the menswear rentals for your special day!
share
Posted by Taylor |
Filed under: Grooms, Groomsmen & Tuxedos ,
0 comments »
Tuesday, September 29, 2015
If you haven't hired your wedding DJ, follow JD's Music on Instagram. JD's Music offers DJ, karaoke, and sound service for Nashville-area events. We love that owner JD and the team give us a weekly peek into the Nashville weddings and events they DJ. No need to take their word for their popular service; now, we can see for ourselves how they keep receptions going.
Not on Instagram? You can visit their website for videos, too.
share
Posted by Ashley King |
Filed under: Bands, DJs, Music,
0 comments »
Monday, September 28, 2015
Sambuca Nashville is bringing back their “all-inclusive” daytime wedding package. Couples can now rent out the entire restaurant for 4 hours on Saturday or Sunday at any time between 12pm-5pm.
The cost is $50 per guest and includes:
~ Passed appetizers
~ Lunch buffet
~ Use of restaurant's AV system
~ Classic wedding cake
~ DJ
~ Taxes and gratuities
...all included under the $50 per guest! Plus, there's no need for your guests to search for parking in the Gulch because valet parking is available (for Sambuca wedding guests) for only $5 per car. Think about it, if you have 100 wedding guests, you can have just about everything you need for $5000. That's quite a deal.
Contact Tiffanie Reed at 615-577-2173 for details and to schedule a tour.
share
Posted by Ashley King |
Filed under: Wedding Venues and Locations,
0 comments »
Friday, September 25, 2015
Who doesn't love heading to the Bicentennial Mall for a bike ride, and then setting up a picnic with tasty treats from Nashville's Farmers' Market? Sounds like a great way to spend a Saturday. That's exactly what Megan thought as she and her boyfriend, Trent, headed out one spring day. However, Trent had a quite different plan in store: a proposal that would turn these Germantown landmarks into places to be forever cherished by the duo.
Learn more about Megan and Trent's engagement, engagement session, and upcoming wedding plans.
Megan & Trent
Date of proposal: April 11, 2015
Wedding date: October 14, 2016
How did you get engaged? Tell us about your proposal.
It was an absolutely gorgeous Saturday afternoon when Trent asked me to go on a walk with our dog, Vita, to the Farmers' Market and through Bicentennial Park. It seemed like a typical Saturday for us, and Trent seemed super casual and relaxed, so, I did not suspect a proposal at all! After walking through the Farmers' Market and to Bicentennial, Trent pulled a blanket out of his backpack for us to lie on with our pup (this did seem a bit over-prepared for Trent, but I still did not think anything of it)! After about 20 minutes of relaxing, chatting, and laughing together in the park, he asked me to marry him!!! It was the best day of my life!
Tell us about your engagement session. Where did it take place?
Our engagement session took place in Germantown, where we live. We also took pictures at Bicentennial Park where Trent proposed!
What’s the significance of the location(s)?
We absolutely love where we live and the vibe of Germantown. The cute homes, phenomenal restaurants, and fun people (and their dogs) make it an ideal place to live in our eyes. And, obviously, we had to go back to Bicentennial Park where he put a ring on it!
Who shot your engagement session?
SheHeWe Photography (Jim and Ilde Cook)
What was it like working with your photographer?
We were semi-nervous prior to our engagement session because we are not models and really did not know how to pose, what to do with our hands, etc… Fortunately, our photographers were AMAZING and made us feel so at ease that our nerves went away immediately. They gave just enough advice on how to pose, but still allowed us to be ourselves and look natural.
What did you like most about the session?
I liked that Jim & Ilde made us feel so comfortable during the shoot! We had a total blast and I think it really shows in our pictures. It was also pretty cool having little Vita in the pics, too!
Would you recommend the photographers and why?
100% Yes!!! I have actually already recommended them to my Nashville friends!! They are the best!!
Let's talking wedding planning. How many guests are you expecting?
150
What’s your approach to budgeting?
We're using it as a guide but have some flexibility
Who have you hired for your wedding team so far?
Photographer - SheHeWe Photographers
Venue, Planning, Floral - Mint Springs Farm
Bartending Services - Apertiff Events & Cocktails
Band - The Downtown Band
Hair & Makeup - Leslie Ellis (Locks by Leslie)
What’s your wedding style?
Rustic Vintage Elegance
What’s your most fun purchase/hire to date?
My wedding shoes!! They are Badgley Mischka Pasquel Burgundy Satin Bow Pumps. I pinned them on Pinterest because they go with my ‘burgundy/marsala’ color scheme; however, they were sold out on their site! After a few hours of intense online shopping, I ended up finding a pair in my size on eBay.
What aspect of being engaged has surprised you the most?
I was actually surprised at how involved my fiancé has been with the planning process. We have a similar aesthetic. I, however, can be fairly indecisive at times, so it is nice to have a partner that was willing to help with those tough final decisions!!
What have you most enjoyed about being engaged?
I have enjoyed truly everything about being engaged! I love calling Trent “my fiancé,” I love searching for inspiration on wedding blogs like Pinterest, Instagram, etc., and I love sharing our engagement/love story with people!!
share
Posted by Ashley King |
Filed under: Engagements & Proposals,
0 comments »
