Wednesday, October 13, 2010
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.
Expert Advice - Lounge Seating from Liberty Party Rental
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.
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Posted by Tabitha |
Filed under: Details, Design & Florals, Luxury Wed Finds, Wedding Resources
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Monday, September 20, 2010
When I first entered the Nashville wedding scene, A Delightful Day Wedding & Event Planning was a fairly new wedding planning company that I connected with immediately. Mary Alice, the founder, was dedicated and it showed. That was in 2007 and year over year, I've seen A Delightful Day grow into an even more amazing group of fabulous planners with creativity, great execution and a zeal for serving Nashville brides. Their brides love them and if you need a planner, I'm sure you will love them too!
Ashley's One-on-One with A Delightful Day:
Company Name: A Delightful Day Event Planning
Website: http://www.adelightfulday.com
Main Contact: Mary Alice Sublett
Associate Planner/Coordinator: Leigh Barker
Contact: 615.938.0711 or email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Number of Years in the Business: 5 1/2 years
How did you get started in weddings? I got started in the wedding industry in college and as a newly engaged bride to be. With my personalty, I love being involved in details and really seeing a wedding brought to life, so after working on some weddings for some friends and bride's that arrived by referrals, A Delightful Day was born. Being a native Nashvillian, it has certainly given me the opportunity to get to know many in the industry here and know what Nashville has to offer local brides and destination brides to Nashville. We have grown into a company that offers many different facets to brides and provide the support that they need to plan the wedding of their dreams; planning their event, design/florals, and custom papergoods!
What do you like most about weddings? I love all of the excitement of the planning process, the stresses and all, and seeing a bride walk down the aisle to her groom, tears in their eyes and anxious thoughts, and know that we have everything under control. Also, seeing the overall design come together that we have worked so hard with our brides on and see their excited faces when they see it for the first time! We really try hard for that first look experience so that we can enjoy their enjoyment of their wedding dreams come true!
What’s your favorite wedding pic/video and why? We had a wedding in May of this year, Tami and Brent, and Tami and I had put in so much work together to create this dream day for her and Brent. Their wedding was the following weekend of the flood and we had to find a new location for her in 5 days. It was stressful, but we stayed calm through it all and had a beautiful event that Tami and Brent loved every minute of. That’s what makes this passion worth it every day!
What is your service philosophy? We go above and beyond for our brides and aim to provide our clients with a stress-free and positive experience. Brides are so busy now with careers, family, sometimes kids, social lives, so wedding planning is something that we want them to be hands-on with, but not left feeling overwhelmed. We also pride ourselves in guiding our clients in creating a "signature look" that is unique to each couple. From colors, theme, to florals and small details, we make experienced recommendations for our clients in creating an intimate celebration that is truly their own!
What are your strengths compared to others in your category? / Why should a bride hire you? I feel that we have a interesting connection with each of our couples and that is truly a relationship that you can not only trust that we're going to advise our clients on what is best for them, but also we have the ability to share our opinions on what has worked in the past and what hasn't. Also, being in the same age group as the majority of our brides I feel we have the best understanding of trends, education, and experiences to help them plan the best wedding for them. Also, the wonderful relationships that we’ve built with fellow wedding vendors in our years of experience gives brides a more personalized experience.
Who are your 5 favorite Nashville wedding vendors – helpfulness, professionalism, style? There are so many FANTASTIC Nashville vendors, but here are a few of my favs: I love Jay from Maples Wedding Cakes! His flavors and tastes are to die for, as well as design. We love Dove Wedding Photography for their style, but also the friendship and trust that we have developed in them. Alison Bryant at Classic Party Rentals has been my calm in so many storms... what would I do without her. Rhonda Patton has such a grasp for modern design and displays that with our clients. Brocade Design Arts, Hillary Robson, has such an eye for florals and talent that just oozes out of her! She is always looking for new challenges for brides designs.
What are your favorite wedding websites? Neatest wedding find? Some of my favorite wedding websites include: iloveswmag.com, the Southern Weddings blog is full of southern inspiration and goodness!; The ultimate in southern gorgeousness, the Weddings Unveiled blog, weddingsunveiledblog.blogspot.com and their magazine is incredible for inspiration; stylemepretty.com of course has been a source of all types of inspiration for brides; weddingchicks.com is another great blog for continual inspiration and they have a great little wedding boutique; one other website for great inspiration, DIY projects, and real wedding galleries based on type is oncewed.com, which also offers the ability to purchase used wedding dresses.
A neat wedding find would have to be the Etsy wedding section. Absolutely wonderful unique pieces that speak who you are for your wedding, for example these adorable cufflinks you could give your lovebug (i.e. fiance’):
Etsy.com/listing/56366626/personalized-love-crush-hand-engraved?ref=cat1_list_9
Or an adorable clutch to give to your bridesmaid’s as one of their gifts, in your wedding color to match their attire:
Etsy.com/listing/55543610/customize-your-lotus-flower-pochette?ref=cat2_list_34
What's one way brides can save money / be more economical without sacrificing her vision? When you begin your planning, really sit down and discuss with your fiance’ what your priorities are. Create three items that are your top priorities, i.e. photography, having a videographer, hiring a planner, florals, favors like a photo booth, having a full bar, etc. and that will assist you in delegating your budget appropriately. From there, you can see what items aren’t necessarily as important to you and you won’t plan to spend as much of your budget on those items. One way to really enhance a space, but not necessarily dig too deep into the wallet is lighting! Many brides believe lighting is a luxury/high end item, when in reality it is more affordable than you think and can truly create a completely different space. With that, you can be a little more savvy with your florals/floral budget, and not require an extreme amount of florals for your space.
For the platinum bride, what is the one thing youve always wanted to see? Oh.... SO MANY THINGS! One item in particular is doing a completely separate, decked out area for a lounge/dance party complete with unique lounge pieces, extreme lighting, and truly modern vibe! I love seeing the pictures of these in magazines and just yearn for that event one day!
Does your company do anything special that a green bride might want to know? For our brides, a lot of times we will contact a local hospice company that will take their wedding day florals and rearrange them to take them to hospice patients and nursing homes for them to enjoy for the rest of their floral life! Many brides wonder what will happen to those florals, and I think that that becomes an area of waste, so this in turn allows for someone else to have a little cheer from their wedding for several days following!
You can follow A Delightful Day on Twitter, become their fan on Facebook and see more beautiful weddings they've done on their website.
Photography credits: McLellan Style, Phindy Studios, Gray Photography, Creative Push, Joy Marie Photography, Chris & Adrienne Scott.
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Posted by Ashley of Ashley's Bride Guide |
Filed under: Wedding Planners & Coordinators, Wedding Resources
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Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Some brides tend to not make hair and makeup a huge priority in the wedding planning process - I know I didn't. But boy am I glad I squeezed out the extra money to get my makeup done by someone other than myself because it was well worth it. Your face is going to be photographed from all angles, all day long both from a distance and close up. While it's not a huge expense, professional makeup can be a neglected detail and I encourage you to really do your research and find a great makeup artist.
My interview today with Amy Lynn Larwig will help you jumpstart your search for a bridal makeup artist. I've seen girls who have had their makeup done by Amy, brides of all skin tones and hair color and they all have, without fail, looked spectacular. Let's get to know her a little better, and be sure to check out her portfolio video at the end of the post!
Nashville Wedding Resource Spotlight: Amy Lynn Larwig
Pictured: The famous Amy Lynn; Photo by Kristyn Hogan, lifestyle photographer
Picture courtesy of Daniel Meigs Photography (DanielMeigs.com)
Number of years as makeup artist: 8.5 years
How did you get started in weddings? By accident. I didn’t want to do weddings originally. But I got asked by some photographer friends of mine, so I tried it out and kinda fell in love.
Picture courtesy of Gregory Byerline (GregoryByerline.com)
What do you like most about weddings? Everyone is happy! It’s a fun occasion and I’m around during the girly time, so the mood tends to be light.
What’s your favorite wedding picture and why?
The first part of my promo video showcases a bridal shoot I did with Chris & Adrienne Scott. I loved this shoot. The bride has such a presence. She let me have free range to do what I wanted, so I pulled her hair back to keep it simple and easy to maintain. And added some silver shimmer to her lids to really light up those blue eyes. A soft pink lip and cheek kept the look romantic and fresh.
Picture courtesy of Chris & Adrienne Scott (ChrisandAdrienneScott.com)
What is your service philosophy? I create clean, modern looks that fit you. Each face I work on is personalized and made to fit your unique style.
What are your strengths compared to others in your category? What sets me apart from other vendors, is the attention to detail. Before a brush even touches your face, a ton of questions about your skin, makeup routine, and wedding have to be answered. All these elements are pulled together to customize a look. Each high end product used has been tested personally by me and is applied with the utmost precision. Once the look is complete and you feel great in it, it’s all written down on a face chart and pictures are taken to ensure continuity on wedding day. There are other details included to make sure the beauty portion of your day is an experience, not just a task.
Picture courtesy of Evan Baines Photography (EvanBaines.com)
Who are your 5 favorite Nashville wedding vendors?
Chris & Adrienne Scott (ChrisandAdrienneScott.com) - This couple not only creates images that will melt you, but they are an absolute joy to be around. They make the experience such fun and really pull YOU out.
StudioWed - Technically, not a vendor, but a tremendous resource for brides and a great place to meet and talk about your wedding.
Chef’s Market - By far, the most amazing catering in Nashville. Beautiful food, and everything is delicious. They really take the time to build the perfect meal for your event and tastes.
The Bride Room (thebrideroom.com) - These women make each bride feel as if her day is the most important one ever. They get to know their brides individually and are so super sweet.
CJs Off The Square - A beautiful venue that makes planning your wedding a complete breeze. Amy and CJ are great listeners that take into account every detail of your dream day. They are super organized and definitely know how to get things done.
Picture courtesy of Zach Goodyear Photography (ZachGoodyearPhotography.com)
What do you read/watch regularly to stay on top of wedding/event trends? I read the local wedding blogs. I also keep up with fashion magazines to see the upcoming trends. Zink is probably my favorite mag for fashion/ makeup.
Is there a wedding trend that you love? Casual, fresh looks. Loose tousled hair and clean, young makeup. Lots of pinks on the cheeks, bright eyes, and soft lips.
Photo Courtesy of Evoke Photography
Which wedding trend are you tired of seeing? The vintage thing. Red lips are pretty, but they tend to be hard to maintain. Especially during, “You may kiss the bride”.
Is there a trend that you are glad is gone? In the words of a hairstylist friend of mine, “Deep fried updo’s” Crunchy curls pinned up prom style.
Pictures courtesy of Google.com
Which trend are you sad to see leave the scene? A lot of brides are letting go of false lashes, which breaks my heart. I think even the most natural pair just give such an “umph!” and everyone looks good in them.
Photo courtesy of Jonathon Campbell Photoraphy
What are your favorite wedding websites? I'm really jamming on custom made hair pieces. They are a fun way to add some pizzaz to your wedding ensemble. Anything by Jessica Frame (HeadlineofFluffandFringe.com)
Custom headpieces by Jessica Frame. Pictures courtesy of Chris & Adrienne Scott
Etsy has some great stuff too, such as Bridal Couture - etsy.com/shop/bridalcouture or Tallulah Opal (etsy.com/shop/TallulahOpal)
What advice would you give to brides on the wedding planning process in general? “It’s just not that serious." This tends to be my advice for life in general. Some brides spend all their time fretting over the perfect shade of green, or the precise amount of flowers in their bouquet, or the height of their bridesmaid’s shoes. They lose sight of the reason for this celebration in the first place…. You are getting married! When you find wedding planning becoming overwhelming, keep in mind that the number one priority is starting your marriage together.
What is the biggest misconception about your industry? “I can do my own makeup.” This is HORRIBLE! You might do a great job on your makeup for work and hanging out with friends. But makeup for camera is a whole other beast. It takes special products and techniques to look good in professional pictures. It makes a world of difference in the end result of those images.
Amy Lynn Larwig, Makeup Artist. from Mark Brown on Vimeo.
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Posted by Tabitha |
Filed under: Health & Beauty , Wedding Resources
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Thursday, August 19, 2010
We are barely halfway through our list of great Nashville wedding vendors from the big bridal show. There's much more to come and today, we'll highlight more invitations, a few videographers and photographers.
WEDDING INVITATIONS
Customization was the theme with invitation design companies and it's so exciting to see how creative couples are getting, working with designers to come up with something that's uniquely theirs.
Designs In Paper - designsinpaper.com
The birds were part of one couple's wedding theme. DnP created several elements for this couple's wedding - from invites to table numbers.
It's always a pleasure to see Designs In Paper. They are so passionate about what they do! They had so many really cool save the dates and invitations and paper goods for their brides on display and it was hard to pick the ones we loved because, well, we loved almost all of them.
We featured Courtney + David's Nashville wedding recently. This is their rehearsal dinner invitation, which had a BBQ theme. Don't you like the choice of typeface used for this bbq themed invitation? Just perfect.
My favorite is the Nashville/St. Louis save the date, "A Tale of Two Cities" announcement above right.
Izzy and the Bean - IzzyandtheBean.com
What a cute name for a company! I really like stationery that uses nature-inspired line art. It's really simple, yet creates a great depth to the design.
Picture source: Izzyandthebean.blogspot.com
PHOTOGRAPHY
Evin Photography - EvinPhotography.com
Evin of Evin Photography has a really great photography style, capturing the more vibrant side to a bride and her groom. She's got a great demeanor, and is probably really chill and great to work with. It was so much fun seeing her at the show and seeing a special friend of ABG's there helping Evin out as well!
The Budget Savvy Bride and Evin!
Shanna Mahoney Photography - ShannaMahoneyPhotography.com
Shanna had just returned from a wedding at some exotic beach resort complete with white sands and azure waters where she photographed a wedding. It says a lot when a couple is willing to have their photographer fly out to their destination and clearly, Shanna does work is worth that investment.
VIDEOGRAPHY
It's nice to see that videography is a popular option with couples. Everything is now produced in a way that you want to watch your video over and over. Videography companies are getting really tech savvy and videos can be accessed online so sharing it with your friends and family is just a simple click of a mouse!
Baughman Media Works - bmediaworks.com
Decked out in their signature red, Baughman Media Works' booth had screen after screen of wedding footage that made me all misty-eyed just watching. They manage to capture the most intimate moments, and get the coolest shots of a wedding day!
First Dance Pictures - FirstDancePictures.com
This was the first time I'd seen First Dance Pictures and when I checked out their videos on their website I really enjoyed what I saw.
Dynamic Video - dynamicvideoweddings.com
ALWAYS a pleasure to see the lovely Jennifer Fritz of Dynamic Video. They had a camera strategically placed at their booth that followed people who stopped or passed by. Sneaky!
AndyCam Weddings - AndyCamWedding.com
We can't forget AndyCam who does both videography and photography for weddings. We really are surrounded by talented vendors and brides are lucky enough to be able to take their pick!
Bridal shows really are great resources for brides. It can get overwhelming but it's really worth the research especially if you're a very hands-on bride. Hopefully our recaps will refresh your memory of the vendors you met that day and you get to work with the ones you like soon!
All images, unless credited, are property of Ashley's Bride Guide.
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Posted by Tabitha |
Filed under: Invitations & Paper Goods, Wedding Resources
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Wednesday, August 18, 2010
We're back to share more great finds from the Weddings, the Bridal Show. (If you missed our favorite booths overall, scroll down to Monday and Tuesday's posts for more FABULOUSness.) Today we're talking planners, florists + wedding rentals - many of the must-have resources for your wedding day.
WEDDING PLANNER
Regalo Design - regalodesign.com
Picture Source: Regalo Design
The fabulous Sarah Goude and her team at Regalo Design had, quite possibly, the most chic booth that day. Nothing overwhelming, really attention-grabbing and just stunning. At one glance brides could see she knew a thing or two about flowers and event design. Each bride that stopped by also got a pink beauty queen sash that Sarah hand-glittered (all 1010 of them)!!
Picture source: Regalo Design
WEDDING FLORALS
Branching Out - BranchingOutEventFlorist.com
Using the theme, "chic rustique," Branching Out Event Florist used burlap draping, branches and pillar candles in cool hurricanes. It's amazing how much dimension there is just using lush white flowers.
Look there's a bride in a Regalo sash!
RENTALS + EVENT DECOR
Liberty Party Rental - libertypartyrental.com
Some rental companies these days aren't all just about how many tables, chairs, silverware and how many champagne flutes you want to order. They now provide event design and will come up with creative, really great tablescapes and decor for your wedding.
Our friends at Liberty Party Rental provide tons of resources online and through their event consultants to help you conceptualize and design your dream event. For the show they decked out their section as a swanky, loungey reception set up in an orange and yellow, Fall inspired theme that we loved.
Such a simple but effective idea - weaving a sash through the back of the chiavari chairs instead of the usual bow.
Grand Central Party Rentals - GrandCentralParty.com
Right at the entrance to the hall were some spectacular tablescapes by Grand Central Party rentals. THey had various color schemes set up, from a green-apple inspired table with fall accents to a rich, turqoise and white. One that caught Ashley's eye was a slightly more preppy green, pink and white table which was both sweet and elegant.
Brides in Nashville definitely aren't lacking in options! Bridal shows like these and of course ABG are here to provide those resources so you get exactly what you desire on your wedding day! Happy planning!
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Posted by Tabitha |
Filed under: Details, Design & Florals, Wedding Planners & Coordinators, Wedding Resources
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