Calling all Nashville brides! Grab your groom or your girls and mark your calendars for Tuesday, November 9, 2010 to attend The Little Black Dress Revue…the cocktail event before you debut your long white dress.
What's different about this event?
A brand new experience for Nashville brides - or brides anywhere, really! Grab your groom or your girls and prepare for THE experience. The Little Black Dress Revue is a cocktail party designed as an actual party for couples to experience what their wedding day can be like. Instead of visiting 30-40 vendors in an 8x8 space at bridal shows, see these vendors in action! Enjoy a date night at Noah Liff Opera Center from 6:30–9:30pm with your honey and paint the town! Savor delicious hors d’oeuvres and scrumptious desserts while enjoying Little Black Dress cocktails and local brews with music by a live band. Bring your dancing shoes!
Experience first hand what your wedding day can be like at a party prepared by the best wedding vendors in Nashville. Brought to you by myself, Music City Events, and the amazing Gregory Byerline, this Dress-to-Kill (or at least render your fiancé speechless!) event is sponsored by Lipman Brothers, the oldest distributor of wine and spirits in Middle Tennessee, and Ashley’s Bride Guide. Each $10 ticket includes dinner, dessert and dancing PLUS an entry into a drawing for a Grand Prize worth over $5,000 from top-shelf Nashville wedding vendors! That’s three zeroes…and a big chunk saved from your overall wedding budget.
One lucky bride will win...
The Grand Prize package includes a groom’s cake, bridal portrait session, custom thank you cards, rehearsal dinner planning, bar service, discount on customized draping, videography goodies, limousine transportation, and {much much} more.
REGISTER HERE now to reserve your tickets. The first 50 registrants receive a double entry into the Grand Prize drawing, increasing your chances to go home with major savings to celebrate your big day. Have questions? Any comments? Feel free to email us here, or contact me at Sarah at aMusicCityEvent dot com, and we’ll get you taken care of. Remember to register early to double your chances for winning the Grand Prize valued over $5,000. We look forward to seeing you on November 9 at the Little Black Dress Revue.
Tennessee really is a beautiful state. This time of year, it's especially gorgeous with all the colors of nature just brightening up the landscape. We're so lucky that we have many great outdoor venues at which we can celebrate our wedding. Southall Eden is one such venue that offers you the option of bringing your vows outside to be exchanged under a tree, or set in an awesome barn loft.
If you are a bride seeking a wonderful wedding venue, here's all you need to know about Southall Eden, our wedding venue of the week.
Contact Info Name: Southall Eden Website: southalleden.com Address: 3270 Southall Rd., Franklin, TN 37064 Area of Town: Leiper’s Fork Main Contact: Shannon O’Kelley Phone Number: 615-775-4080 Email Address: Shannon at southalleden dot com
Overview of Venue
Southall Eden is a 5 acre farm located in the rolling hills of middle Tennessee, just two miles from the picturesque village of Leiper's Fork and minutes from historic downtown Franklin. Its hillside setting offers views of the rolling pastures and horse farms, while its 1904 farmhouse and turn of the century barn create an authentic farm atmosphere. Its rustic charm makes it a perfect location for those seeking a natural yet elegant setting for their wedding.
Year your business was established: 2009
Your motto/philosophy: It’s YOUR big day. Create the wedding you’ve always dreamed of, and your guests will love it too.
What options does your venue offer?
~ Ceremony? yes
~ Reception? yes
~ Showers? yes (30 person minimum)
~ Parties? yes (30 person minimum)
~ Guest Accommodations? no
What type of room(s) is available?
This is an outdoor venue. Some couples use a tent for their event, while others chose an open air setting. The big red barn can be used for ceremonies, receptions, or music and dancing. The Party Shed and Pavilion are also available for buffets, dancing, and lounge seating.
How many people can you accommodate?
Tent or open air without flooring- 250
Tent or open air with flooring- 400+
Seated barn loft dinner- 75
How many events do you take per day? 1
Is outside alcohol allowed? Yes. We do not charge a corkage fee.
Is an on-site event coordinator available? Yes
What is your pricing model? The property is $2,500 for Saturdays and $2,800 for holidays.
We also have an inventory of specialty décor items that are available for an additional cost.
Which bride budget do you serve? Moderate and Luxury
How far in advance should a bride book your venue? 9-12 months
When is the initial deposit/final payment due? 50% deposit to reserve date, 50% due 60 days prior to event
What else should brides know about your venue?
We only do a limited number of weddings at the farm each year, but we also offer all-inclusive rehearsal dinner packages in the barn for couples who are not able to have their wedding here. In addition to this, we rent out the farm on an hourly basis for bridal portraits and/ or engagement photos. Our paperie can also design custom invitations and accessories for your wedding regardless of where you are getting married.
This is a private residence, so an appointment is always required and tours are available for serious inquiries only.
What makes your venue so unique? What do you pride yourself on?
We are fortunate to be located in exclusive Leiper’s Fork, known for its beautiful horse farms, celebrity homes, and charming art galleries. The area is ideal for couples wanting to give their out of town guests a true Tennessee experience. We pride ourselves on creating a setting that has rustic charm, but that also lends itself to classy, upscale weddings. The venue is a constant work in progress, with new features being added all the time. We are also constantly adding to our inventory of carefully selected rental décor items.
A simple burlap runner completes the table setting.
For "budget savvy" brides, what's the one thing you think should always make it into a budget?
No matter what your budget is or where you get married, hire a good wedding planner! If she does her job well, she will be able to do everything from prevent headaches and unnecessary expenses to advise on how to avoid family drama. Many people think that wedding planners are a luxury, but this is simply not true. Even though they are an additional expense, a good planner will be able to use her knowledge and contacts to save you money in so many other areas that she may pay for herself. Having a planner doesn’t mean you have to relinquish control of your wedding and not have a say in the creative process. It simply means you have someone working FOR you who does this every weekend and will think of all the things that you don’t. And believe me, there will be many things you don’t think of.
What advice would you give to brides on the wedding planning process in general?
Don’t sweat the small stuff! Too often brides let themselves get so stressed out about all the little details of their big day that they forget the reason for occasion, which is YOU ARE GETTING MARRIED! By all means choose a venue you love, choose good quality vendors you can rely on, and hire a fantastic photographer to capture it all so that your grandchildren can enjoy the photos 100 years from now. But through it all, keep in mind that the absolute most important decision you will make is choosing your groom!!! If you make a good decision there, everything will fall into place
A few months ago, I had the incredible opportunity to work with Jim of VidSigs. He was referred to me by Chef's Market and after I saw his amazing video on The CupCake Collection (whose cupcakes and story I LOVE) I couldnt wait to work with him.
I went to his house and chatted for an hour about my love for Nashville weddings, brides, wedding pros and the result was this spectacular video that tells a little about me. I really like Jim's unique ability to weave my story together while letting my personality shine.
Here's my video...
Capture your story...
Jim believes that engaged couples should have a fabulous AUTHENTIC engagement video - timeless enough to cherish forever, practical enough to share with friends as a save-the-date at your rehearsal dinner or wedding reception.
Jim's got a great way of pulling out key details of your story and keeping you comfortable enough to speak freely. My session was actually fun! What I like most is Jim did 7 modifications (yes 7) until I was completely satisfied with the end product.
HOW TO WIN YOUR "LOVE STORY" ENGAGEMENT VIDEO!
Email me by October Oct 29and tell me your love story - how you met, knew he/she was the one. Your entry doesn't have to be long, just tell your story in less than 300 words. Easy.
You must live in the metro-Nashville area and have your video shot by December 1.
Don't you love options? Yesterday we shared a different but just as classy way of decorating for your reception. Today we're relying on Down South Delights Catering to help us think outside the cake plateau.
Recently, the catering company shared options via their blog for brides who seek different dessert and sweets for their guests. These brides still have cake, what 's a wedding without at least one pretty cake?? But sometimes, not every person wants cake and offering many options can really surprise and thrill guests. If this is something you've toyed with, here's some insight...
A very popular trend emerging is for brides to opt not to have a large wedding cake for guests as a dessert option. Instead, a smaller ceremonial cake for the bride and groom to cut for photos then a different dessert for the guests. This year we have had many brides ask us to create mini dessert displays, ice cream buffets, southern inspired dessert tables, and many other decadent options.
This past weekend, we had the oppurtunity to cater at Wolf Dens Farms in Brentwood for a large southern inspired family style meal. The bride chose to have pumpkin & apple pies along with cheesecakes with an array of toppings. Guests were much more interested in these options than the typical cake.
Several weddings that I have attended on the east coast always have a large cookie buffet of homemade cookies from recipes from family members. The cookie buffets double as both dessert and the favor with personalized take home bags, similar to candy buffets. If a large cake is not in your reception plans, below are some yummy options to consider.
Their blog is full of delicious desserts and dishes and I found a few more dessert alternative to cake that I would, personally, have at my wedding!
Fruit tart with shortbread crust and lemon pastry cream (Tabitha: There isn't one thing in this that I would not want to eat)
Visit Down South Delights' website and check out their picture gallery, and look for more inspirational dishes and catering ideas on the Down South Delights blog. I will warn you to not read on an empty stomach!
(All pictures courtesy of Down South Delights Catering)
At bridal shows, we're always blown away with the latest in wedding guest seating. Now, you can really wow your guests with a wedding reception area that goes beyond the typical 60" round banquet tables with chairs around them. Why not make your wedding look and feel like you've invited your guests into your home? Comfy, cozy lounge seating makes it easier for people to gather and mingle. If you're a little apprehensive about stepping out of that box, Julie Hurst of Liberty Party Rental has the tips and ideas for the hottest lounge seating trends for your wedding.
Lounge seating comprises of several elements, the most distinct of which are banquettes and axis furniture. Banquettes are the larger, bench seats you will recognize, a lot of times with a taller back to them almost like you're at a chic, L.A. club. Axis furniture are the smaller, 2.5 foot by 2.5 foot sectional pieces that come in a corner piece, a chair or ottoman. "Both are just as nice, they're all very versatile. Some people have used both banquettes and axis seating, but a majority of clients go with one or the other," advised Julie.
Liberty Party Rental is the only rental company in Nashville that carries their banquettes. "They come in four different colors (black, brown, ivory and white) and some of our brides have brought in their own fabric which we can wrap around the banquettes for a smaller extra cost." This is such a great idea, since lots of wedding decor is based on color schemes so this way, your furniture could complement your palette if you want to branch out beyond the four basic colors offered.
So what are some ways that lounge seating has been used? One way is what Julie has dubbed a Quiet Room. "Brides had a bar set up separate from the dance are, where people could mingle away from loud music, filled with lounge furniture instead of tables and chairs they had banquettes and butcher block coffee tables and groupings of axis furniture. They created an actual lounge.
Left: Banquettes. Right: coffee table for a more relaxed option
Estate Style is when banquettes are set up on one side with chairs set across a long dinner table. This also works for plated dinners where guests don't constantly have to get up to get more food.
Estate style seating. I love how it lends a touch of elegance to a garden style party.
Using a punch of color with colored pillows is also a fun way to complement your wedding's theme. Julie tells me that what's been popular among brides is renting the white or natural seating and having pillows as accent to pull their colors in. Liberty Party Rental has pillows available in an array of colors. You can see what your options are under "Creations" on the Liberty Party Rental site under the "Elements Collection" that is a list of all the items that go into lounge decor. If you can't find a color that works, you could also find pillows you do love to use. "Depending on the colors, some brides have purchased pillows themselves to use as accents to match their color scheme."
"Lounge furniture has become the trend with weddings – even if brides are on a tight budget they’re figuring out how to splurge to have at least a section of lounge furniture. More and more people are doing the lounge because it’s becoming a décor item. It’s a focal point, like if they have a dance floor, they surround the dance floor with axis furniture." Julie and her team at Liberty Party Rental will work with you to make sure you're making full use of your budget, whether or not lounge seating is what appeals to you. And if it is, you've definitely gone to the right place for it. Click here to visit their website if you haven't already found a great rental company with which to work for your wedding!
And if you're a bride who has used lounge seating for your wedding, we would love to see your pictures!! You can email us, or if you have a blog, let us know how to find you! We'd love to see what inspired you.
At Ashley’s Bride Guide, we’re always on the lookout for innovative and exciting wedding ideas.
Send us your wedding tips, creative ideas, or your own wedding
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