Friday, April 15, 2011
With so many current themes for weddings, from peacock feathers to whimiscal Anthropogie-style, I'm sure it's hard for couples to go in a different direction. Not Randi & Dan. This beautiful couple married in downtown Nashville at the War Memorial Auditorium and opted for a purely elegant wedding with polish and refined decor. Through their Nashville wedding feature, we take a step back and go with design that will stand the test of time.
The couple turned to StudioWed Nashville to help them find the wedding vendors for their big day. Special thanks to StudioWed Nashville for allowing us to share this wedding with you for some weekend inspiration.
StudoWed Vendors:
Photography: Kristyn Hogan
Bride’s Dress: The Bride Room | Priscilla of Boston
Bridesmaids’ Dresses: The Bride Room | Amsale
Grooms’ Attire: Street Tuxedo
Florist: Brocade Design Arts
Wedding Planner: Simply Stunning Events
Rentals: Classic Party Rentals
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Other vendors
Ceremony Venue: Cathedral of the Incarnation
Reception Venue: War Memorial
Lighting: Bradfield Stage Lighting
Event Design: Jonathan Savage
For the full post with more great pictures from Randi & Dan's wedding as well as helpful wedding planning tips and more real weddings in Nashville visit the StudioWed Nashville website.
All pictures courtesy of Kristyn Hogan.
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Posted by Ashley of Ashley's Bride Guide |
Filed under: Luxury Wed Finds
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Thursday, April 14, 2011
Candy bars and candy buffets have been around for a few years now and many brides still love them. But there are many great tasting and easy options for your wedding favors besides the candy bar. Chef's Market (located in Goodlettsville, TN) offers a variety of edible wedding favors. Not only are they tasty and local, but you can also personalize these favors with your own labels or the Chef's Market team can create them for you. Wow your guests and give them something they will definitely want to take home!
Cake truffles are a wonderful favor to send home with your guests. They're tasty, decadent and can be personalized with flavors you like. From red velvet to chocolate with either white chocolate or regular chocoate or even strawberry coverings, there's something to please everyone.
The cupcake bar is great fun for even showers, bachelorette parties, rehearsal dinners or for the wedding reception.
Unfrosted mini cupcakes in different flavors (strawberry, banana, chocolate, vanilla) with different icings and frostings and sprinkles. Guests can help themselves!
They've graced the pages of Martha Stewart Magazines and Style Me Pretty and are such a pretty detail especially in the more French inspired weddings. Macarons can come in richer hues depending on their flavor or in sweet, pastel colors and whatever your look is, they're a very sophisticated favor to have that will surely wow your guests. Chef's Market now provides these favors along with vintage decor elements to complete the look. Each color is a different flavor and they taste lovely.
Image by Enchanted Brides Magazine
On the more savory side, you could send guests home with some jellys and cheese. These little baskets have crackers, red pepper jelly and even has a teeny cheese grater! Another alternative for this is to give it to out-of-town guests in their hotel rooms. Really put a Southern stamp on it by giving them biscuits and jams too.
An alternative to the candy bars (of which we've seen a ton already) is a popcorn bar! You could have a mixture of sweet (caramel or chocolate covered) and salty (butter) flavors and guests could make a blend of all or just take home one type in pretty paper cones.
For this popcorn bar, Chef's Market also has a variety of candies and nuts to go with the popcorn for a fun mix.
If you're a couple that likes to cook, you'd appreciate this favor and probably would want to use it at your wedding - herb infused oils. Chef's Market makes and bottles their own thyme, sage or rosemary oils in little bottles. The bottles are sealed, look pretty and easy to transport home after a wedding! Each time your guest reaches for the oil when they cook, they'll think of you!
Send your guests home with individual mini-pies. Miniature food is so much fun, and it's another quintessential Southern detail you can add to your wedding! Chef's Market will bake mini pies in an array of fillings from cherry to chess to apple, peach or chocolate!
Are you a coffee loving couple? Brand some biscotti with your initials to give away in a personalized mug with bags of fragrant tea. Or guests can break open their favors at the wedding to have if you serve coffee with cake!
There are so many ways to personalize your favors whether you go with these or come up with something unique to your relationship. Chef's Market offers several packaging options for your favors and they can range from simple and economical to slightly fancier - it all depends on how much you want, what you want and how you would like for it to be put together and they are happy to work with you on this! For more details and for more catering questions definitely contact them and let them know that you heard about their awesome favors here on Ashley's Bride Guide.
Images courtesy of Ace Photography and Chef's Market unless otherwise stated.
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Posted by Tabitha |
Filed under: Cakes & Catering
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Wednesday, April 13, 2011
If wedding design is important to you, you MUST know Jen! Whether you are a bride, mom or wedding planner, make her your BFF. Jennifer Edwards Milam runs Reveal Event Style, a wedding design company that never ceases to amaze us with her fabulous ideas. She's the go-to gal for weddings and events in Nashville; she can partner with your wedding planner to create design concepts for your wedding that are based on your proposal, your hometown, your favorite movie or even your home! She takes what you love and turns your favorites into a well concepted wedding design.
The lovely Jen + I hanging out!
For instance, when we spoke last, she'd partnered with a bride and a planner and created a leopards and lace wedding concept. Think "Betsey Johnson" style. I know the bride's poolside wedding will be amazing!
So, how does it work? What's her first step? How does she take what you love and turn it into a custom design for your day? She spilled the beans at a recent Epic 9 open house last week, sharing two design concepts: her inspiration, her mood board and the actual design. One concept for a fantastic, elegant rehearsal dinner and one for a vibrant, colorful wedding reception. Both were great to see.
Rehearsal Dinner Concept
Inspired by: Wine shared over couple's first date
Step 1 for Jen is the inspiration board. She presents a few concepts to the couple based on their initial consultation. The final selection is her basis for the wedding. As you see below, the design board contains all of the key elements, giving the couple a taste of the colors, fabrics and details.
~ Jen's Wedding Design Board for Couple ~
Lauren and Beaux shared a bottle of wine on their first date. Jen used that bottle of wine as the inspiration and key element in coming up with the rehearsal dinner. The dinner was intimate with just close friends and family invited. Invitations were hand-delivered, with the paper set in wine bottles. Guests were treated to an evening of opulence and glamour.
Jennifer describes the table decor as "a reflection of the wine's tasting notes: chocolate, oak, light vanilla with a hint of sparkle at the finish." Sounds divine! The color scheme consisted rich, dark hues that enhanced the regal white orchid centerpieces.
Instead of place cards, guests names were written in chocolate on plates. Hand-crafted sugar orchids accompanied the plates and so guests could dip the orchid in the chocolate. So deliciously chic! Everything sat atop specialty, "chocolaty, decadent collection of hand-jeweled beaded fabrics mingled with textured underlay and a hint of vintage lace" linens.
Sugar orchids are so chic! Signature Cakes by Vicki created these for Jen. Could be a great addition to your wedding.
The Wedding Reception Concept
Goal: Create a Happy + Lively Party
For this design concept, her palette was more lively with a lot of bright oranges, pinks, yellows and greens. It's goal was to design a room that made you feel happy, made you want to just have fun and party which was what the couple wanted.
Jennifer: "We enveloped the room in a soft white draping with punches of green. Bright and vivacious as [Lauren and Beaux] are, we set the room for a good time detailed with hot colors, a variety of seating, mingling vignettes and conversational florals paired with fanciful mass topiaries dressed in ribbons."
Inspiration board by Reveal Event Style. Inspired by candy colors - yellows, pinks, oranges against muted greens.
Green and white hydrangeas sat in seafoam green vases atop brightly hued bistro tables
Such a simple flower with so much life. An individual daisy in each shot glass lined up along a table is an easy, fun and economical idea.
ABOVE: It's all in the details. This "Love" mirror was a great conversation piece.
BELOW: Wow your guests with your monogram in colorful petals on the dance floor. And how cute are those giant, green moss balls?
Green suede occasional furniture from Music City Tents & Events.
Festive linens (Fantasia Plaid) were by Connie Duglin.
If you recall from our previous post on Epic 9, the space is a completely blank canvas. You can do pretty much what you like with it. Sometimes that's good + sometimes it leaves the bride/planner completely overwhelmed. If your venue is ugly or empty, definitely contact Jen and Reveal Event Style or one of the wedding stylists listed on our website. Sometimes the simplest of objects you thought were only significant to just you and your fiance could inspire the best theme and Jen could help you with that!
Thank you to Ace Photography for the lovely pictures and once again, thank you Chef Penelope for a wonderful evening!
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Posted by Ashley of Ashley's Bride Guide |
Filed under: Inspiration & Trends, Luxury Wed Finds
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Tuesday, April 12, 2011
I love stationery. In this modern age of electronic messages and less and less paper, I feel like stationery is not as appreciated as it used to be. As convenient and free as evites are (or worse still, Facebook invites - ugh), your wedding day is not a day to stinge. It's not just a Saturday afternoon kegger you're having. And with all the effort you're putting into the other details of your day, you want your guests to be able to get a feel for your style and vision from the moment they open your invitation.
When we saw a new invitation line by Paperkuts Studio at a recent bridal show, Ashley did a double take and asked Kim of Paperkuts to tell us more about her fabulous new invites by Regas New York. Take it away Kim!
Today's Guest: Paperkuts Studio
Letterpress is still one of the hottest trends in stationery. It's an art form that I would love to learn. What exactly is letterpress? This tactile style of printing dates back to seventh century China where artisans printed characters on fabric. In the 1450's, Johannes Gutenberg created movable type to allow easier manipulation on paper. After the 20th century, letterpress printers became mass-produced. The letterpress technique involves using plates of raised reversed art to impress text or images into cardstock. The feel and look of letterpress is amazing! The look is definitely elegant, classic and produces high-end work.
One of my great finds from the 2010 National Stationery Show was the fabulous letterpress design of Regas NY. This innovative team provides beautiful paper for wedding invites, save-the-dates, chic party notes, menus/programs and custom work. Because letterpress is all hand-made, time is of the essence. Each customer is different, so if letterpress is where you want to go, I always stress to start early. Production time can take 3-4 weeks from the approval of the art. Because of this, letterpress can average from $12 and up. It solely depends on the bride's wants and needs.
I always state that your choice of paper sets the tone for your event. The average spent on invitations is around 2-3% of your wedding budget. Let's sit down and talk about your vision and how paper can make it even more fabulous!
All ABG lovers can take 20% off of their order with PaperKuts Studio. Give me a call/email and set up an appointment.
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Posted by Tabitha |
Filed under: Invitations & Paper Goods, Luxury Wed Finds
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Monday, April 11, 2011
When you think about DJ's and lighting do you picture disco balls, fog machines and strobe lights? Think again! The DJ and lighting professionals we're introducing to you today aren't one of those cheeseball companies. Cosmo Creations not only provides music to suit your wedding, they also will set up specialty lighting touches to create the right ambience for your special event. With lots of experience in the business, Brent Cantrell and his team are changing the perception of wedding DJ's from corny to one of professionalism and class.
Contact Info
Name: Cosmo Creations
Main Contact: Brent Cantrell
Phone Number: 931-265-2934
Email Address: cosmocreationsdj at gmail dot com
Twitter: twitter.com/cosmocreations
Number of Years in the Business: 10 years
Brent Cantrell (Picture by Visions By Valeisha)
How did you get started in weddings? I started Cosmo Creations in 2001 after college because I love music and liked the idea of owning a small business. In 2003, after attending several of my friend’s weddings, I saw a serious need for a wedding disc jockey with a “not so over the top” personality, the rest is history.
What do you like most about weddings? As a DJ, it’s a great feeling to see a crowd at a wedding reception for the first time and try to read what style music they would enjoy listening to. It’s good to have input from the bride and groom for song selections but being able to read a crowd and determine what songs your guest would enjoy listening to is a fun challenge.
What’s your favorite wedding pic/video and why? This photo really captures the mood we want to create out on the dance floor. Great looking colors wash the dance floor with a breathtaking custom monogram light during the bride and groom’s first dance.
Picture by Visions by Valeisha
What is your service philosophy? We have been best described as “not so over the top” when it comes to DJ’n style. Also, we think looks are very important, that’s why we dress professional and bring professional looking gear! You have to have both; some brides may think they don’t care what kind of gear a DJ brings as long as it sounds good but looking good (and smelling good, not like smoke) is a must!
What are your strengths compared to others in your category? Why should a bride hire you? When choosing wedding entertainment, a disc jockey can usually play a wider variety of music at a more cost effective rate than live music. That being said, Cosmo Creations excels when compared to others disc jockeys in two main categories. #1) We leave our egos at home; the day is about the bride, groom, family, and friends celebrating one of those special moments in life. #2) We look great! Maybe not the most handsome, but we dress professionally and bring the best gear (and best looking gear), this is important and your guest will notice.
Who are your 5 favorite Nashville wedding vendors? It’s hard to pick just 5 of my favorite wedding vendors! But here goes…..
A Delightful Day Event Planning – Mary Alice Sublett knows how to stick to a timeline and she’s one of the sweetest people you will ever meet! She also runs StudioWed Nashville which is a great resource for Middle Tennessee Brides! I also happened to be Mary Alice’s disc jockey at her wedding.
Simply Stunning Events – Kristin Kaplan is the most detailed wedding planner that I’ve had the privilege of working with. I’ve know Kristin and her husband Brian (he’s a great photographer) for several years now and they are both members of StudioWed. Did I mention that I also DJed their wedding?
Kristin & Brian Kaplan's first dance. (Picture by McLellan Style)
Kyle Gregory Photography (KGImages.blogspot.com) – Kyle is a great up-and-coming photographer! He’s very easy to work with and for a young photographer, he takes amazing photos! Cosmo Creations also DJed his wedding, we’re very fortunate to know so many talented and young wedding vendors.
The Country Music Hall of Fame (CountryMusicHallOfFame.org) – I’ve known Debbie Parsley for the past six years and she’s great to work with! Out of all the venues in Nashville, The Country Music Hall of Fame is my favorite to DJ. The history, architecture, and fantastic people to work with are just a few reasons why it’s at the top of my list.
Kristyn Hogan lifestyle photographer - Kristyn Hogan takes amazing photos! I met Kristyn through StudioWed and now it seems like we run into her all the time.
A wedding DJ-ed by Cosmo Creations (Picture by Kristyn Hogan)
What do you read/watch regularly to stay on top of wedding/event trends? I like to read Mobile Beat for music and lighting trends, Billboard, and Cool Hunting is also a great iPad App that gives me inspiration on colors and trendy stuff to incorporate into a wedding reception.
What are your favorite wedding websites?
StudioWed.net
WeDJ.com
WeddingWire.com
Does your company do anything special that a green bride might want to know?
5 years ago we would have brought dance lights that consume more than 4,400 watts. Today, to create the same lighting effect, we use less than 60 watts.
What is the biggest misconception about your industry? Wedding Disc Jockeys have earned a bad reputation over the years for being cheesy and sometimes unprofessional. Truth is…… the correct Disc Jockey can add much value to your wedding reception, making it a great day for all who attend!
Give Brent and his team at Cosmo Creations a call and let them know that Ashley's Bride Guide sent you!
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Posted by Tabitha |
Filed under: Music, Lighting + Transportation, Wedding Resources
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