Monday, August 17, 2009
Monday, August 17, 2009 On Friday, I went to preview Wedding 101 and it was so exciting! As I stated last week, I wasn't able to attend the vendor preview but I do hope that you at got to go to the grand opening Saturday. If you haven't checked it out, here's how the boutique looks.
When I arrived on Friday, Ashley was on the phone and told me to get a party favor as I waited. She directed me to a table with 3 apothecary jars that were half-filled with brightly colored balls. The table had empty tins...my first thought - what a cute candy bar! But it wasnt:). Ashley ended her call and told me the jars were filled with scented balls (not candy). Ahhh...got it now:).
Just like a candy bar, the scent bar would have a tin for filling with scented beads, mini candle, a favor bag with a cute label
As I created my "scented sachets" tin - I thought - no, this isn't a candy bar but it could definitely be a scented favor bar. I told Ashley and a new fun bar was born!
Wedding 101's favor bag includes confetti, travel candle, tin with beads and a label - so cute
I think this would be a great idea for a bridal shower. Maybe you could allow your bridesmaids to create scented tins of their own. The bar would be just as cute and interactive as a candy bar but for zero calories! Plus, the scented sachets would last longer than candy. The only concern is that people might mistake it for candy - so beware! Wedding 101's scented balls and candles would be a great place to start if you are interested in seeing it in action or buying the supplies. Ashley said they would definitely help you create a scented sachet bar for your wedding. There are like 7 fragrances available. My favorite is the sunshine! You can rent the jars, buy the sachets and even buy coordinating Botanicus travel candles to match. As you see, Wedding 101 is not only a library of info but also has a retail area too. I'll be hanging out there a lot and I promise, ABG and 101 will collaborate to make planning your Nashville wedding easier and even more fun and fab!
more from Wedding 101 - love these wedding gown, courtesy of Bridal Opulence
also love this table design by classic party rental - how cute are the hanging letters for a shower or fanciful wedding!
Another great bridal vendor - Maples Wedding Cakes - always stunning
You can see more at Wedding 101.
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Posted by Ashley of Ashley's Bride Guide |
Filed under: Bridal Showers, Luncheons, Parties, Bridesmaids & Bridal Party, Guests, Gifts & Favors, Inspiration & Trends
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Wednesday, April 15, 2009
People are always asking me for a unique, affordable spot for their bridal events - like bridal showers, bachelorette parties, etc.
Well, yesterday, I visited with Kristen, Director of Sales at aloft hotel. As I sat waiting for Kristen in the lobby, I decided to take some pictures of everything that I love about this hotel. This could possibly be the coolest place in Cool Springs and maybe even all of Nashville! It is the ultimate high-tech hotel, as noted in this recent article by MSN Travel.
one of my favorite areas of the lobby - how comfy yet chic
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Not familiar with aloft? It is a spanking new hotel in Franklin, TN - right behind Cool Springs mall. This is the ultimate hotel for modern gals. I'll be honest, as I sat, I was really thinking of a party or event that I could conjure just to take advantage of aloft's hot ambiance. I am thinking of having a birthday bash there this summer - maybe inviting all ABG readers, vendors, friends and family.
yes guys - that's a pool table! great spot for your bachelor party
...and the xyz bar, which has drinks and food and is usually packed in the evening hours:)
It's really the perfect place for just about any occasion. In fact, here are some ways that you can utilize this cool space:
Bachelorette parties
Bachelor parties
Bridal shower / luncheons
Birthday parties
Baby showers
Rehearsal dinners
Sleeping rooms for out of town guests
more lobby pics - so much room for hanging out with friends / family
view of outside area - which will be a great spot for a spring/summer bash
view of pool and fitness areas - excuse the glass view
ok - I know this might be silly but I LOVE their snack and play area
everything your friends / wedding guests need - from games to toiletries
yes - you can buy games! aloft is all about fun and appeals to every sense - from eye popping colors to energetic music
yes - they have everything - Cheesecake Factory cheesecake to Ben and Jerry's ice cream
beverage bar - espresso, chocolate milk
Just contact Kristen at 615.435.8700, tell her I sent you and she'll tell you all about your options, including sleeping rooms so the night doesn't have to end!
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Posted by Ashley of Ashley's Bride Guide |
Filed under: Bridal Showers, Luncheons, Parties, Bridesmaids & Bridal Party, Guests, Gifts & Favors, Wedding Resources
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Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Thru Feb 8, Relish is offering ABG readers a 20% discount. (Checkout Code = ABGJAN09) If you have been putting off placing your order, be sure to order this week so that you can save some $$ on your wedding invitations.
Since Relish debuted, I have wanted more and more! They started with wedding invitations, which are super cute and stylish options. Last fall, they shared their new Bridal Shower/Bachelorette line and swore me to secrecy:). Now, it's a reality and you can buy them online!! These invitations are pre-designed and come in several color options. If you are a planner or a bridesmaid helping with a bridal shower, contact Relish. If you are a bride and fall in love with a design below, forward this email to your party host or start hinting! After all, the invitation will eventually go in your memory book so you need to like it too:).
Girls Night Out
A Single Girl's Last Night Out on the Town
These are my favorites! Of course I love the hot pink "Future Mrs." but as you can see you can get it in aqua or like 5 other colors.
Bachelorette Party Invitation -Future Mrs. in Pink
Bachelorette Party Invitation - Future Mrs. in Aqua
Platform Rust - I also like this invitation, which features regal colors that are great for a fall event.
Crescendo Aqua Bridal Shower Invitation
Elaborate in Cranberry
How fun! Bloom in Aqua
This invitation is so me! Glam Island Invitation
Relish's party invitations are cute and a good way to break free from your stationery theme and just have fun! Believe me, this is just a sample. Visit their website for more bridal shower invitations or bachelorette/girls night out invitations.
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Posted by Ashley of Ashley's Bride Guide |
Filed under: Bridal Showers, Luncheons, Parties, Invitations & Paper Goods
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Monday, November 10, 2008
Monday, November 10, 2008
On Saturday, I hosted a baby shower for my sister. Some might wonder why I am blogging about a baby shower on a wedding website. Well, many of the ideas for baby showers can be used for bridal showers too. As you plan your Nashville bridal shower (and if you are the bride and you like some of the ideas - feel free to forward this article to your maid of honor), here are some ideas...ESPECIALLY if you are on a budget like we were. Budget: Our goal is to plan fabulously fun baby shower for less than $1000. The final spend was $800. Colors: We started with a color palette. Initially, we were thinking aqua and red, based on an inspiration board that Jessica aka Ms Fondue shared several months back. However, after my sister registered, she decided to do the nursery in hot pink and brown (imagine that) so we decided to do the shower around those colors so that she could use many of the decor elements again. Venue: We wanted a venue that was free and didn't require that we use an on-site caterer because we wanted to do a potluck style menu. We also wanted a space that was easily accessible and that could accommodate a large or small guest list (ended up being 50 guests). Hillary of Brocade Design Arts suggested Nashville's East Park Community Center, which proved to be a GREAT suggestion. She is sooo helpful and always has a great solutions for event problems. The folks at East Park were super easy to work with. The space is free during their normal business hours and is only like $65 after hours. You really can't beat that. They didn't have any restrictions, other than no alcohol. Barbara (615-862-8448) is the event coordinator.
Food: - We relied on the hostesses to provide the food. Our menu consisted of salad, spaghetti, chicken alfredo pasta (which we ordered from Pizza Hut - was horrible, even though it normally isnt), tuna and turkey sandwiches and sliced fruit. - Drinks - We offered purified water in water pitchers, lemonade and fruit punch from Walmart. We bought simple drinks, placed them in beverage dispensers and added lemons and strawberries to make them a bit more fab. Decor:
I reached out to Hillary (Brocade Design Arts) to get a few ideas. She added her touch to the shower decor BUT the event wasn't representative of all that Hillary can do to a space...Now, if I'd hired her for the event planner, it would have been more fab...but I didnt:). Hillary helped with the event styling - by giving me ideas and added her neat touches. - Lanterns - The ceilings at East Park are like 20 feet high. All of that height was just craving attention. So I bought hot pink lanterns from the Target Dollar Zone and was obsessed with them. Even when I saw the room and the height, I wasnt deterred. So...Hillary and I got really creative. We bought metal weights from Home Depot, added them to the bottom of twine and started throwing them into the air. It was soooo funny! Everyone was running around trying to dodge our flying weights on strings. I am so thankful that Hillary and my friends were so patient with my determination. We eventually got them up and they looked great!
- Floral arrangements / Candles - I bought hot pink pails (Target Dollar Zone), pink votives and small flask vases (IKEA) and Hillary made adorable floral arrangements. - Pails with goodies - I also took a few of the hot pink pails and filled them with tissue paper and small baby items, like receiving blankets, pacifiers, etc. (You could do these same for your bridal shower - fill the pails with small items for the bride.) - Stickers - I went to Hobby Lobby and Target and bought all types of letter stickers - all sizes. We placed letters on the linen tables - spelling baby words like cry, mom, dad. We did the same on the pails after decorating them with ribbons. - Big letters - we carried the letter theme into every aspect of the shower. I bought 15 inch letters form JoAnns Fabric (Cool Springs) and Hillary spray painted them hot pink and added glitter. Super cute! My sister will hang these in her nursery. - Linen - We rented hot pink and brown overlays from Art Pankcake Rentals and placed them over white tablecloths. - Balloons - hot pink, orange and light pink bought from Shindigz party store in Green Hills.
Games: - Hate corny games but these two are always a hit and can be great for brides or babies - 1) Song Remix, Bride/Mom Trivia - email me if you want to know more about these. Favors:
For favors, I decided to do a sweet stop bar as treats/favors. I made copies of the ultrasound, taped them to treat bags and wrote a special message on each bag from the mom/baby to guests. We then invited the guests to snack off the bar during the shower and to take treat bags home. Here's what we placed on the sweet stop bar - - Publix Cupcakes - I really wanted gourmet cupcakes but our budget didn't allow for it. So, I went with my next favorite - Publix. I gave the color swatches and they made them pretty, pretty. While I so wanted pineapple with heaven-ganache our budget allowed for chocolate and vanilla:). But, they tasted and looked great and went fast! I didn't even get one. We decorated the cupcake stand (Walmart) with wrapping paper and more letter stickers.
- Gourmet Popcorn and Candy Bar by Kernels Gourmet Popcorn Kernels is a new, Nashville-based, gourmet popcorn company. They are under the radar now but will soon be a Nashville hot spot. They offer popcorn bars and created ours with caramel, cheddar, white cheddar and butter. We also added assorted chocolates (taking advantage of the 75% off Halloween sales!). We tied cute ribbon around the scoopers to add color to small details. Most of the jars can be purchased at Walmart (near kitchen cutlery) or World Market. Kernel's event coordinator is Amber Heater and she can be reached at 646.808.5540. - Chocolate Fountain I have a small chocolate fountain that I bought last year but never used. I simply bought the chocolate and a medium fruit tray from Publix that consisted of apples, pineapples and strawberries. Most people loved the chocolate fountain - and for a shower, a small fountain will do. But beware - all chocolate is not created the same. I bought chocolate from Party City and it was only $5.99 for 2lbs. When I went to Michaels, it was $16 for 2lbs. The difference - chocolate flavored vs real chocolate. But the real chocolate usually requires a bit more work (aka adding of oil).
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Posted by Ashley of Ashley's Bride Guide |
Filed under: Bridal Showers, Luncheons, Parties, Bridesmaids & Bridal Party, Cakes & Catering, Details, Design & Florals
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Friday, July 4, 2008
Friday, July 4, 2008
Whether you are seeking pampering for your wedding day, bridal party or a gift for the bride-to-be, here are a few pampering spots that might be of interest.
Relache Day Spa
I have been in Spaaaah Heaven! Over the weekend, I hung out w/a gal pal at the Relache Spa at Gaylord. We arrived early, had our car's valet parked (complimentary if you're going to the spa) and headed in for some pre-pampering fun. Now, our plan was to start with a quick work-out, then proceed to the whirlpool or pool, head to lunch and then have our spa treatments. But, after walking what seemed like a mile from the Magnolia parking to the Cascade area, we decided that was work-out enough! (Note - you can park closer to the spa but there were so many people checking in that we decided to park and walk through the amazing hotel.)
We headed to the sauna and then to the pool. It didn't feel like we were in Nashville. I mean - I have stayed at Gaylord before but I'd never enjoyed the hotel's amenities. This time, I soaked them all in! I've been to lot of spas - a few in Nashville and a few in other cities - and Gaylord's Relache ranks right up there in terms of pure pampering and full luxury. Everything about it is lavish. I simply love their relaxation room - stocked with strawberries, grapes and fruity water. And, as corny as it sounds, I really love their ladies locker room. It's really like a big room with showers, lockers, steam, sauna and pretty much everything a gal needs to prepare for her tranquil day. I love everything about this spa. The only recommendation I would offer Relache is to fix their billing system. Everytime I go, my bill is wrong. They are always really nice about it but after an amazing day of relaxation, who wants to wait 15 minutes to have your bill corrected? But really, that's minor. The spa is large enough to accommodate your entire bridal party and well worth it!
A Moment's Peace
Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to visit A Moment's Peace spa in Cool Springs. While I didn't receive a service, I did get a chance to tour the spa and hear one of their lead aestheticians (Loretta Brank) discuss tips for healthy summer skin. The spa is an amazing 6200 square foot space, much larger than you'd think, and offers just about any service that you'd need - from hair care, skin care to spa services. This spa will be on my "try" list. I am not sure how it compares to Relache but I am certainly willing to give it a try. Plus, the aestician seemed very knowlegdeable and seemed to love her job, so I bet she is great at what she does. Plus, the spa was voted the #1 spa in Williamson County (by Franklinis.com and Southern Exposure magazine) so I think it's worth a visit. They just added a couple's room that offers a couple's massage area and couple's shower.
Escape
A friend of mine is a masseuse so I always want to know which spots she recommends. She worked at Relache and while no longer there she speaks highly of the spa. She also visited Escape Day Spa and loved it! What she liked most was their couple's massage area. She said that it has like a jacuzzi tub for two that is in the couple's room. I simply can't wait to check it out myself because it's hard to find a place that has "real" space for two because some places say they offer couple's massages but you end up being in separate rooms - so what's the point? Anyway - when I check out Escape and A Moment's Peace, I'll let you know. In the meantime, feel free to contact them yourself or comment on this blog by adding your Nashville spa recommendations. Happy July 4th! If you are traveling (like me), please be safe and enjoy your holiday weekend.
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Posted by Ashley of Ashley's Bride Guide |
Filed under: Bridal Showers, Luncheons, Parties, Health & Beauty
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