In this last installment of our Brides' Night Out video advice series, we're happy to share flower and dessert ideas. If you've missed any of our wedding advice series, start with last week's advice on kids at weddings.
Thanks so much to AndyCam Weddings for providing us with the clips; thanks to the wonderful vendors who presented at Brides' Night Out (Dulce Desserts, Music City Tents & Events, Fabu, b. Hughes Bridal and Signature Events) and to the brides who asked questions that most brides want to know.
Kicking things off with wise advice from pastry chef and cake maker diva, Juanita of Dulce Desserts - "Are dessert buffets common?"
Karen Kaforey of Signature Events Inc. takes on the next question - "How accepted is it to choose non-traditional flower colors?"
What do we love more than bringing you ideas with the Wedding Scoop? Answering your questions and helping you with your decisions with your planning! We get so many great questions and we sincerely hope we help each person out. I feel that on behalf of the ABG team and the awesome vendors we work with, I know I speak for everyone when I say that without you, our lovely bride-to-be, we'd be really really bored so thank you and keep those questions coming.
Nashville Bride's Question:
Hello Ashley - I met you at the bridal Gala in Lebanon. You helped me with my wedding at War Memorial. I have a question. Can you recommend any premarital counseling that is affordable? Also can you help me with finding an affordable make up artist? - Thanks
Ashley's Response:
Great to hear from you! I would reach out to Marie McKinney-Oates of Nashville Marriage Studio for premarital counseling. She also offers great workshops that will save you money on your marriage license.
Affordable makeup? Great makeup artists are a true investment - they make everyone look great and make your pics look wonderful. I would recommend hiring a professional that you connect with and one with a great portfolio and references. Here are a few to start with...
1) Amy Lynn Larwig (AmyLynnLarwig.com) who I trusted to do my makeup for my Sex and the City party!
Hey Ashley! I am totally in LOVE with this site and I love the new layout! I am getting married October 23rd of this year and I was wondering if you could spotlight someone who had their wedding reception at marathon village or will be having there. i want to see their ideas on decor for the space. it's a vintage event space and I want to turn it into an elegant and romantic area, but not sure how!
My fiance and I currently have Marathon Village booked as our reception site because it's so roomy, you can bring in your own caterer and alcohol, plus the view of the Nashville skyline at night is breathtaking!
I just wanted to see more pics of how the tables were set up and how other couples may set up the room, that's all.
Keep up the good work!!
Ashley's Response:
Thanks so much, that's so exciting for you and your fiance. Kristin Kaplan of Simply Stunning Nashville planned a rehearsal dinner at Marathon Village and the set-up the couple had was just as gorgeous as a full-on wedding. You're so right - the view is pretty spectacular! Hope this gives you a better idea of how the room can be used. You can see more details on the Simply Stunning Blog!
All the best!
While we're on the subject of venues and great planners, here's a budget-minded question we received.
Nashville Bride's Question:
My fiance and I are planning to wed on 10/30/2010. We want to have our wedding somewhere in Nashville but we are finding it hard to locate a venue that fits into our $8000 budget (when you include the caterer and all the extras). Is an $8000 budget unreasonable these days? Can you give any advice on venue locations that might work for us? a place with indoor/outdoor would be great or just indoor. We are inviting around 180 but hoping for 135 or less.
Ashley's Response:
Is $8000 your reception budget (including décor, rentals, etc), food/venue (only) or entire wedding budget? I recommend talking to two wedding planners who specialize in helping couples on a budget. They know the venues, caterers, etc. that can help make your day great on a dime! I'll direct you to their websites and from there, you can ask them your questions.
They are always willing to help - whether you hire them or not. Let me know what they advise so I can share it with other brides in the future!
Details by Margaret - detailsbymargaret.com
Your Day of Fairy Tales - Hillary - yourdayoffairytales.com
We love seeing how wedding enthusiasts and brides all over are inspired to find their theme. Browsing the blogosphere, we constantly stumble upon eye candy that gets our creative gears going. Ashley recently directed me to TwirlBoutique.com, a bridesmaid blog which featured their favorite color schemes for 2010 and they are fabulous!
The first combination is navy, pink and purple. These colors can take a theme in varying directions - stoic navy and the brighter pinks and purples can become a funky, preppy style. Or a soft, pastel wedding gets a burst of life with brillant purples and dark blues. It's elegant without losing a sense of fun!
Navy, pink and purple really complement and whether you do just navy and pink or purple and pink, it'll all work really well. Now, if that's not so much your cup of tea but you're still looking for a wow-factor to your colors then you might like this next color combo better:
Top L - R: Bridesmaids dress from Lazaro.com; Flower girl floral design by Enchanted Florist; Yellow invitations by Southall Eden Paperie | Center L - R: Teal platform shoe from Nordstrom.com; Yellow calla bouquet from InStyleWeddings.com | Bottom L - R: Groom's suit picture courtesy of KimLePhotography.com; Tablescape picture (and color palette ideas!) from twirlboutique.com
Whether it's the brightest shades of pink, or the richest shades of yellow matched with unexpected yet perfectly matched shades, I hope these inspiration boards give you a better idea of the millions of colors you can incorporate into your wedding day. I'm curious to know what you think of these and if you have other sources for great colors send them our way and share them in comments!
Your dad stands up to give a toast. A hush sweeps over your guests and all eyes are on you, your new husband and dad at the head table. There are laughs, there are touching moments, and just as dad's about to get to the piece de resistance in his speech, your cousin's daughter decides now would be a good time to start throwing a temper tantrum.
It's always tricky planning a grown-ups only wedding. And if you were to invite only certain children, where does one draw the line and set an age limit and still keep it fair? There are ways to work around the Adults Only Wedding vs. Kids Welcome Wedding situation. For those opposed to having any children at their reception, there are ways in which you can make it so your message is clear without offending too many people. Today's Brides' Night Out recap focuses on children and wedding receptions with the answers from the very experienced and knowledgeable, Karen Kaforey of Signature Events.
How Can We Only Invite Adults to Our Reception?
This is one of 13 clips highlighting some of the "Brides' Night Out" Q&A panel that occurred at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville.So there! Not too daunting an issue and one that can be easily communicated without coming across as rude. But what if you really do love children and you don't mind having them at your reception? How do you make it so mom and dad get to party and play with the other grown ups while getting to bring ther kids to your celebration?
How Do We Handle Daycare So Our Guests Can Stay Later?
Big thanks to Karen and also to AndyCam Weddings for the video clips. If you're wondering about the interview Karen mentioned in the clip, here's a link to it from Martha Stewart Weddings - as always, great advice! In case you missed our first two installments, do check out the Q & A's on wedding trends and weddings at the Country Music Hall of Fame.
We're so lucky to have industry professionals willing and able to share invaluable wedding advice. I can't even imagine planning a wedding without helpful online resources and blogs - can you?? I'm sure there are some super brides out there who can, but for the rest of us who prefer to embark on the planning journey with ease, blogs are a godsend.
When it comes to how to work with caterers, it's best to look at the whole picture and really figure out what your vision is and make smart choices. Today's guest blog post is by the lovely Genna of Chef's Market & Take Away, one of our favorite wedding caterers. Genna's going to let you in on five great tips on how best to pick the perfect menu for your wedding reception.
Guest Blog - Genna Dufault, Chef's Market & Take Away
Eat, Drink & Be Married ... 5 questions to ask yourself when choosing a menu for your wedding reception
Remember your sister’s/best friend’s/ arch nemesis’ wedding reception? Depends on what the bar situation was right? Kiiidddiinngg. But seriously, there had to be a time you went out to dinner or attended a wedding and couldn’t get over how awesome the food was. Maybe a thought flickered across your mind, ‘this would totally be something I’d want at my wedding’.
It’s the kind of thought us women tend to tuck away in our hearts, hardly remembering them until just the right moment comes along, like say an engagement ring. Knowing what you like is one of the first steps in deciding on a menu for your wedding reception but it doesn’t end and begin there. Below we’ve compiled a check list of questions you and your fiancé should ask yourselves before heading up the buffet line.
Picture Source: Projectwedding.com
What’s our budget?
Oh budget why can’t you just budge a little? Ugh. While sticking to a budget can be stressful at times (especially when it comes to food) it’s actually a really smart move for those of us not living on planet Hollywood. As a 20-something just starting ‘real life’ I’m constantly reminded that my taste exceeds my means and as irritating as that can be it’s also made me really resourceful, which I think is a great skill for any couple heading to the altar to arm themselves with. Understand what you can afford compared with what you want and be realistic.
If you’d love for your guests to feast on Lobster but can’t afford it, think about doing a shrimp appetizer. You might find that it not only fits into your budget better but still maintains the same theme. Work with your budget instead of against it and you’ll be a much happier bride-to-be!
What’s our wedding style?
Will your wedding be super formal or more low key?
Knowing exactly what kind of ceremony you want will translate to the reception and the menu. Keeping this in mind will make the entire wedding feel cohesive rather than disjointed and it won’t confuse your guests. Does anyone really want to show up to a beach wedding in flip flops only to be taken to a ballroom for a 7 course meal? Probably not.
Will your reception be mid-morning, late afternoon, or early evening? This might seem like a no-brainer but it’s helpful in getting ideas flowing. If you’re having a morning wedding you might want to think about a reception with a brunch themed menu. Likewise, an afternoon wedding might mean an elegant cocktail inspired menu, etc, etc.
Do any of our guest’s have any dietary restrictions?
Obviously this could be tricky and depending on the size of your wedding you might not even want to travel down this road, however it never hurts to have at least one option on the menu that everyone can enjoy. Does your fiancé live for red meat but you know half of your family members are vegetarians? Throw a fresh meat-free garden salad into the mix or plan on serving grilled vegetables as a side item.
What’s our vision for our wedding?
I’ve saved the best for last! Remember this is you and your fiancé’s wedding. If you’ve always wanted a garden party reception complete with tea service, go for it! Eat scones and mini cupcakes and enjoy your day! Your vision for your wedding is what will guide you through all of the other questions concerning your wedding menu.
Excellent tips, I hope this helps you when it comes to picking the right caterer. For more great catering advice, see what else Genna and the Chef's Market team have to say on their Chef's Dish Blog!
At Ashley’s Bride Guide, we’re always on the lookout for innovative and exciting wedding ideas.
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