Friday, April 20, 2012
We recently finished our Smart Bride Bootcamp with the last session at Houston Station where brides got to take a tour of the facilities. So we thought it'd be cool to feature a wedding that took there, so you don't miss out on anything either! Houston Station really is a decor and design playground. When bride and groom, Kelli and Anthony got married at Houston Station, they personalized their wedding with monograms and custom stationery to match their purple and blue theme. The couple worked with Music City Events to create a romantic evening, adding a fun twist with some personalized signature drinks for the evening. Enjoy!
Kelli + Anthony
Date ~ November 12, 2011
Ceremony + Reception Venue ~ Houston Station
Guests ~ 150
Budget
$20,000 – 35,000
Wedding Team
Planner | Sarah Willard, Music City Events
Photographer | Joe Hendricks Photography
Gown | David’s Bridal
Bride's Accssories | Earrings from Macy’s and necklace borrowed from a friend.
Groom + Groomsmen's Attire | Jos. A Bank
Bridesmaids Attire | David’s Bridal
Hair | Shannon Jones
Makeup | Lisa Buckleman, Face the Day
Stationery | Get Relish
Ceremony Musicians | The Little Ensemble
Reception Musicians | MC productions
Transportation | Lifestyle Limos
Caterer | Two Fat Men Catering
Cake Artist | We chose not to have cake! But, we did have a dessert bar by Two Fat Men Catering
Guest Accommodations | Double Tree and Hotel Indigo in downtown Nashville
Our Wedding Details
How would you describe your style as a couple?
We’re pretty laid back and simple. I’m not sure we have a “style”.
How did you incorporate that style into your wedding?
We loved the venue because it was plain and simple. The awesome exposed brick and wood floors are beautiful at Houston Station. It’s like a blank canvas; you could do anything with it. We really like it the way it is though so we wanted the decorations to be simple. Not a lot of frill. The centerpieces were simple and beautiful as well as the lighting. Sarah was a big help with all the decorating and everything really. She would design and create options and we would say yay or nay and she would change it! I’m sure had we had to do it ourselves it would not have turned out as beautiful as it did.
What was the favorite aspect of your wedding?
I loved it all really but probably the food and the flowers. I also really loved the lighting and all the stationary (invites, bar menus, etc) that Sarah designed.
ABG Notes: Kim, another part of Music City Events, hand wrote the entire seating chart seen above on the repurposed window!
Where did you splurge?
Photography, food, and DJ.
Where did you save/DIY?
We saved some by not having a cake. Neither one of us are big cake eaters so it didn’t matter to us if we had one or not. We also made our own welcome bags for our guests.
Now that the wedding day is over, is there anything about your planning process you feel you could have done differently?
Nothing about the process! I was happy with the planning. I wish we would have planned better at gathering extended family members for pictures. We don’t have any with Anthony and I both in the picture.
In one sentence, what words of advice do you have for couples in the midst of their planning?
Hire a wedding planner!!!!!
Thank you to Music City Events and Joe Hendricks Photography for sharing these beautiful pictures and details. For more weddings from Music City Events be sure to check out her website and let her know you're an ABG bride to receive their special offer just for you.
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Thursday, April 19, 2012
The Collection has put together a few photo tips for use when creating your wedding day timeline! That's right, when considering the start time for your wedding day, there's more than just when your venue is available or what time you think your bridesmaids and groomsmen will drag out of bed to get the day started. But that's why we have the experts help us with the details!
From Erin of The Collection...
So you’ve got the ideal location, the perfect dress, the most beautiful flowers and you’ve spent way too much time on Pinterest designing your fairytale wedding that now you also have your dream kitchen designed too. When I was asked to write an educational article for Ashley’s Bride Guide, I knew exactly what I wanted to write about - The Photography Timeline.
This very important piece of the puzzle is often taken for granted. Let me reword that. It’s not taken for granted so much as brides are not given a good, feasible base to build on.
You’ve looked at tons and tons of photographers and you’ve decided on one that you love. Their style, their personality, and their product fit your needs, and most importantly you trust them. Your photographer has an idea of how long they will need on your special day to shoot the type of photographs you fell in love with. As a bride though, you will set the framework for what they build your timeline off of and if they will be able to get those shots you have your heart set on.
Here are four things you should consider when it comes to your wedding photographs and before you send out your invitations!
1) Sunset + Your Ceremony Time
Whether you’re getting married inside or outside this will affect your photographs the most. A lot of couples like to have their outdoor ceremonies at sunset during the summer, it’s cooler for their guests and it is also more romantic! When you check the time for sunset, realize that the time shown means it will be dark, not becoming dark. If you are not doing any photographs after your ceremony, and you want to have your ceremony at sunset, I would recommend starting your ceremony no later than one hour before. A typical ceremony is usually around 30 minutes and there will still plenty of light for your photographer.
If you are getting married inside, depending on your location, your photographer may not be allowed to use flash during the ceremony. While cameras have come a long way, your photographs are going to look a lot prettier if there is some sort of light source. If the location you're using has stage lighting or overhead lighting, that might be enough. If you’re concerned, discuss the lighting setup with your photographer before you set your ceremony time.
2) Not Seeing Each Other Before
I will never tell my clients that they need to see each other before the ceremony, but this is an important timeline discussion. I know how much time I need for each portion of the day to shoot what my clients expect and how to achieve it in the least stressful way possible. If a bride and groom decide to wait to see each other until the ceremony, to get the photographs that my clients expect from me after the ceremony I typically need an hour and a half. Here is how that time breaks down.
Every photographer is different, but I like to have at least 30 minutes for full family photographs, 30 minutes for full bridal party photographs, and at least 30 minutes for bride and groom photographs. My clients tend to hire me because for the most part, I photograph in natural light; therefore, I prefer to start shooting 2 hours before sunset. I want to be done shooting 30 minutes before it’s dark. Having this amount of time, takes a lot of stress out of the photographs and gives us more time to make the most of your images. If you're rushed your body will show it - either you won't look at the camera or your body will appear tense. I try hard to make even those rushed moments fun, but it always helps to have a few extra minutes!
While we are on the topic of stress, you may also want to schedule a cocktail hour for your guests while you’re getting your photographs done, it’s a great distraction for them and you're not worried about people becoming impatient for your presence and for food.
3) Bride's Hair + Makeup
Hair and makeup takes a long time! Especially if you have one person to make you look beautiful and do all of the bridesmaids hair and makeup. The majority of the time I have had photographs run behind is because hair and makeup ran behind. Talk to your hair and makeup artist and ask how much time she or he will need. I would add some buffer time on top of that for reworks, a late bridesmaid, etc.
I personally only need to get 10-15 minutes to get photographs of a bride having her hair and makeup done. If your hair and makeup artist is telling you that it’s going to take two hours and I am supposed to start shooting at 2 p.m., I would recommend you see if you can start getting your hair and makeup done no later than 12:30-12:45. That is if they are coming to you. If you’re going to them, make sure to always schedule travel time.
4) Family Photographs
Oh family photographs. The part of the wedding where you hear “Where is Uncle Bob?” And then when you find Uncle Bob and get him in the group for the photograph. “Uncle Bob, stop talking and just smile.” As simple as these photographs can be, they can also be the most challenging, because many times you are dealing with the large group of people. This takes time!
Gathering everyone together (5 minutes looking for Uncle Bob), getting them in position, getting them all to look at you, getting the 3-year-old to stop picking his nose, getting everyone to stop telling the 3-year-old to stop picking his nose and look at you again, takes time. Some family photographs go super quickly, but you just never know. Discuss with your photographer how long they like to have for photographs and also discuss with them how many people (approximately) you’re going to want in those photographs. You may need to add more time than what is normal. No one wants the church lady getting angry at you because you need to be out of the building and no bride wants the guests to see her before the wedding. If this discussion happens beforehand it can make this area a lot smoother.
Take the time to discuss these four areas with your photographer and planner. My personal goal is to give my clients beautiful images and a stress free day. My timeline is built to do just that. You are hiring your photographer because you love their work and because you trust them. Utilize that resource and I guarantee you will not regret it.
All photos by Erin Lee of The Collection
We hope that all of this info from Erin is helpful and will set your timeline into a day that is clear, well executed. We hope everything about your day is perfect! And if you are now convinced that Erin is the photographer for you, make sure to mention that you saw her post on AshleysBrideGuide.com!
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Posted by The Collection |
Filed under: Advice & Planning, Photography
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Wednesday, April 18, 2012
I'd never celebrated Leap Day but this year I did, along with bridal bloggers and wedding vendors who were asked to participate in the "Leap in the City" party/photo shoot at Sambuca Nashville, coordinated by Michelle of Burlap and Brooches Events and Sarah of Fete Nashville. The day started with a photo shoot, beautifully designed by the aforementioned planners and graciously photographed by Gregory Byerline Photographer. As day turned to night, the Nashville skyline became even more beautiful and the space went from a rehearsal dinner feel to all out party, welcoming 100+ fellow wedding pros.
Sambuca has always been a great restaurant with a sophisticated vibe. I never thought of them as a wedding venue but their private space is breathtaking, during the day and night. If you haven't seen the space, enjoy today's photos and see why brides are considering Sambuca for their bridal showers and rehearsal dinners.
Event Team
Event Planner - Michelle Soll of Burlap & Brooches
Event Planner - Sara Fried of Fête Nashville
Venue + Catering - Sambuca
Photography - Gregory Byerline Photographer
Hair + Makeup - Smith White Studio
Photo Booth - Picture This Nashville
Lighting - Nashville Audio Visual
Floral Designer - Ode, Floral Artistry
Video - Chris Wheeler Films
Live Music - Reed Lawrence Thomas
Cake - Dulce Desserts
Event Branding / Stationery - Design in August
Linen - Connie Duglin Linen
Transportation - Grand Avenue Transportation
It was a wonderful evening and gave me a chance to see many bridal friends. Special thanks to Gregory Byerline who was a joy with whom to work and got us these lovely photos super fast...always a bonus!
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Posted by Ashley of Ashley's Bride Guide |
Filed under: Inspiration & Trends
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Tuesday, April 17, 2012
There are certain questions that Nashville brides ask me ALL the time. Usually, these questions involve budgets and guest lists. But more and more, brides want to know about honeymoons, specifically looking for travel agents and honeymoon registries.
Until now, I didn't have a Nashville-based, travel expert to answer your honeymoon questions. Carlie of 2 Travel Anywhere recently joined StudioWed (our site sponsor and Nashville wedding planning studio) and she's fantastic! She agreed to answer a few of your burning honeymoon travel questions. Here's what I've learned so far...
What is 2 Travel Anywhere?
Carlie: 2 Travel Anywhere, LLC is a honeymoon travel consultant, planning honeymoons to destinations around the world. Upon contacting us we will send you a questionnaire to help determine exactly what you want for your honeymoon. We will then put together a custom quotes for you detailing the best options based on your interests, schedule, budget, and destinations. 2 Travel Anywhere, LLC is committed to searching for the best honeymoon free of charge. We want to make sure your honeymoon is memories that will last a lifetime of happiness celebrating your new life together.
As a Honeymoon Travel Consultant, it is my goal to help couples plan their dream honeymoon!
David and Emily's Mexican honeymoon, planned by 2 Travel Anywhere
Why should engaged couples (or anyone) work with a travel agent versus planning their own travel via sites like Expedia, etc?
Save Time - The Internet is filled with information about travel. It takes a lot of time to sort through everything to find exactly what you are looking for.
(Ashley adds - you are already busy planning a wedding, why not leave the honeymoon planning to someone else!)
Stress Free - You can spend those countless hours on the internet searching for the best honeymoon spot and still not find what you want. Contact us and we will send you as many options as you like until finding the perfect option saving you from being stressed out about where to start.
Expertise Traveling - We often visit destinations most requested by clients so that we can tell you about destinations and resorts based on our experiences.
Extra Perks - We always contact resorts ahead of time to request honeymoon amenities for you. Our clients frequently get room upgrades upon availability, surprises in their rooms, and much more.
Save Money - We shop around and find the best rate. We have access to special rates that are often times much lower than elsewhere. And even-better, there are NO HIDDEN FEES to work with us.
There are countless benefits for booking with a travel agent. 2 Travel Anywhere, LLC is not your typical travel agency we actually like to be called a honeymoon consultant; we specialize in planning engaged couples dream honeymoon around the world. The best part of our services is that we are completely free. We know how stressful it can be planning a wedding so we want to make sure the honeymoon planning is stress-free!
Kate and Brent's Hawaiian honeymoon, planned by 2 Travel Anywhere
I hear about honeymoon registries and am asked about them a lot. What are they? Are they credible and is there one that you recommend?
Honeymoon registries are becoming a hot trend for couples these days. Why not have money towards your honeymoon rather than your traditional gifts you may already have? Rather than register for household items they don't need, couples now seem to do a honeymoon registry.
2 Travel Anywhere teamed up with Honeymoon Wishes to help couples not only plan their honeymoon,,n but help with a bridal registry as well. Honeymoon Wishes is a honeymoon registry site to help couples financially with their honeymoon. Friends and family can now be apart of your honeymoon experience; they can see the cool places you'll be staying and activities you may have planned.
Why do you recommend Honeymoon Wishes?
Honeymoon wishes was the first registry company to be in business, they have more perks than the other honeymoon registry companies. You can send out notices about the registry as soon as you register. This will increase your chances of receiving gifts before the actual honeymoon. When it comes to the registry process be sure to register for more than you want because you never know what you will receive and it seems like people are more willing to give the gift of a dinner on the beach or an excursion on your trip that you would not typically receive.
Visit 2 Travel Anywhere's blog to see more real honeymoon photos shared by Nashville brides or contact Carlie at 615-512-7764 or carlie.travel{at}gmail{dot}com for help with planning your wonderful honeymoon.
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Posted by Ashley of Ashley's Bride Guide |
Filed under: Advice & Planning, Honeymoon and Post Wedding
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Monday, April 16, 2012
Chef's Market and Catering has always been a favorite of mine just from personal experiences with the company - they not only produce great, custom menus for their customers but they are also able to decorate the food tables according to the theme of the wedding. Recently they provided a dessert table with a selection of sweet treats that would make Willy Wonka jealous. The table decor and set-up complemented the couple's gorgeous wedding that took place at the Country Music Hall of Fame. We reached out to Genna of Chef's Market who walked us through what inspired the look and decor of this fantastic dessert buffet and how the Chef's Market team brought it to life according to the couple and planner's vision.
All Photos: SB Childs Photography
What was the inspiration behind the dessert table you created at the Country Music Hall of Fame?
Genna: The bride and groom wanted their wedding to feel very upscale and elegant with a rustic/country influence and their venue (the Country Music Hall of Fame) was the perfect place to pull that off. Their wedding planner, Angela Proffitt, asked us to provide the vintage style table used for the dessert display and with the ‘vintage chic’ look in mind, we did the rest ourselves!
How did you incorporate the bride and groom’s vision into the design as well as the dessert selection?
For the display, we used old windows, lots of earthy textures and vintage styled items like serving trays, milk bottles, and of course the table, to give it a shabby chic feel. We created a moss tiered ‘wedding cake’ to hold the pie pops and used apples under glass, not only for color but also for that rustic influence they wanted.
With it being a fall wedding, the bride and groom wanted to incorporate the season into the dessert selection, so we did lots of apple related desserts (Apple Pie Pops, Baby Lady Apples dipped in Caramel & Chocolate, etc). We also made cupcakes of their choice (Red Velvet, Hummingbird) and had an assortment of their favorite cookies for guests to grab on the go.
What other kinds of desserts can you make?
We try not to limit ourselves when it comes to creating desserts. We love experimenting with recipes and trying new things to make sure our client’s menus are as personalized as possible. Our most popular desserts tend to be cupcakes, truffles, cookies, and dessert shots, but we’ve also done things like mini tiramisu, individual pies, fruit tarts, and more.
What makes a Chef’s Market dessert table stand out?
We have a true passion for creating great food and beautiful presentation. Whether it’s a buffet, plated dinner or a dessert display, we put a lot of energy into making sure it will wow our clients and their guests! We really listen to brides and grooms to make sure we understand their vision for their wedding reception in order to incorporate that same look into any of the food displays we put together.
What a beautiful spread to match a beautiful wedding. Thank you to Chef's Market and SB Childs Photography for sharing the details from the wedding. For more of what Chef's Market can do for your special event or wedding, check them out online at ChefsMarket.com.
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Posted by Tabitha |
Filed under: Cakes & Catering, Inspiration & Trends, Luxury Nashville Wedding Finds
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