Thursday, August 26, 2010
We usually feature real weddings after the couple's big day. But how are those days created? What goes on behind the scene? How can you take all of those magazine pictures you've torn out and turn them into a wedding design? And, how exactly does a wedding planner take your concept and help you execute?
With the help of Stephanie of You're Invited, we will take you behind the scenes of an upcoming Nashville wedding. As Stephanie shares this engaged couple's wedding details, we hope their wedding planning process will help you develop your own plan or help you understand how an effective wedding planner adds value.
When an engaged couple comes to you, how do you approach finding their wedding vision?
When I start the planning process with a bride, I ask lots of questions to get to know them (this helps me help discover their vision). Questions such as - what colors do you love, what are your favorite things to do, what are the 3 most important aspects of your wedding, what type of experience do you want to create for your guests?
I will also ask the couple to bring in pictures they like, whether they are wedding photos they like, or even just magazine photos. It's amazing what an interior decorating magazine can do to help me understand and create a bride's vision for her wedding. I never want a bride to feel overwhelmed as we start the planning process. Their vision can evolve over the course of the planning process, and doesn't have to be created on day one.
I'm sure you are working with many great couples, helping them plan their wedding. Tell us about one of your engaged Nashville couples. What is the engaged couple's personality?
The bride and groom are extremely professional, family-oriented and fabulous to work with. This will be the second marriage for both, so they wanted to keep this wedding "simply elegant." Also, a lot of traditions that 1st time brides want to use, we won't be doing with this wedding (large wedding party, father walking her down the aisle, garter/bouquet, etc).
What is the vision for their wedding?
The bride and groom both want their families and friends to really enjoy this evening together. They want fabulous food, beautiful flowers and a really fun party.
Have they selected wedding colors/their theme?
Yes, we've actually changed the colors throughout the planning process. When she and I originally met, we knew she was going to have a fall wedding, so those were the colors we chose (bronzes and golds, oranges, eggplant purple, and pops of green). As the wedding planning process has evolved, so have my bride's color choices. We are now utilizing more of the rich eggplant in the main color scheme, instead of as an accent color.
What is the inspiration for their wedding?
Fall and her love of those particular colors
Engaged couple's wedding - Picture source: You're Invited.
Which vendors/venues have they hired to date and why were they hired specifically to execute on their vision?
Noah Liff is the ceremony and reception location site. It is a fabulous new Nashville venue and the Opera Studio is a blank canvas to create an amazing event. Jessica, the facilities manager there, is so great to work with on projects/events.
Left: Ragsdale Lobby. Right: Opera Suite (Photo courtesy of NashvilleOpera.org)
Nashville Event Lighting - I knew I would need Blake and his team to work their magic on this space. We have the ceremony, reception and then a lounge area to create, and I know lighting will be one of the key elements to help accomplish this.
Blue Nova Designs - The bride and I immediately knew that we wanted to drape the walls and the ceiling to soften the look. The team at Blue Nova has been great during the design process offering us multiple options from which to choose.
Jay from Maple's Wedding Cakes - who doesn't love Jay's yummy cake and fabulous design work!
Terry from The English Garden - my bride described her vision to Terry in regards to flowers, and they immediately connected. Terry has an amazing eye for color and design, and will make my bride's vision come to life in his floral design work.
Jonathon Campbell Photography - We love their work and ability to capture even the smallest details. After my bride met with them, she knew Jonathon and Sharon were a great fit for what she wanted in a photography team. She loves the fact that they are a husband/wife team and she loves their portfolio!
Sargeant's Catering - they have a long-standing reputation in Nashville for delicious food and great service. After our tasting with them, we were blown away at how fabulous the food is going to be for this bride and groom and their guests.
Valet One - for valet parking. Becky is so great to work with and very accomodating.
Music City Tents and Events - for rentals-very professional to work with both before, during and after an event.
Tabitha: Fall colors really are elegant. I especially love the way the multi-colored ribbons are tied to the back of the fruitwood chiavari chair in the bottom right corner. Picture source: You're Invited.
What is their splurge item?
Food!!
How are they choosing to maximize their wedding budget?
They are not having a large wedding party; instead the bride has a Matron of Honor and that's the only one who will stand in the front with them.
What excites you most about this wedding?
I am excited about several things - the amazing transformation that will happen to the Opera Studio at the Noah Liff; from lighting to draping to the table arrangements, it is going to be unrecognizeable from its current look. I'm also excited about the "flip" of the Ragsdale Lobby from the ceremony site to the "after party lounge" after guests finish their seated dinner. Third, I'm excited about the interactive dessert concept we're doing for this wedding. It's going to change guest's experience at wedding receptions.
Any words of advice to couples beginning their wedding planning on finding their inspiration?
Look at magazines, surf websites and blogs, and ask your friends what kind of wedding they envision you having. All of those things will help inspire you to create the wedding of your dreams!
For more of Stephanie's work, check out You're Invited's website or their wedding planning blog for more ideas and resources for your dream Nashville wedding!
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Posted by Tabitha |
Filed under: Inspiration & Trends, Wedding Planners & Coordinators
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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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Thursday, August 5, 2010
Many people think of wedding and event design as a big-budget splurge when in reality, it could save you time as well as money. When done effectively, your wedding budget can be maximized. That's the speciality of Dawn Schenkel and her team at Premier W.E.D. who "turn fantasies into memorable realities". They will work with you to hone your overall vision as well as execute on the details so you get what you want.
Ashley's Bride Guide goes one-on-one with Dawn Schenkel of Premier W.E.D.
A Premier W.E.D. client's wedding ceremony and reception at the Schermerhorn in Downtown Nashville
Number of years in the business:
12 with the actual company 1 before on the side.
How did you get started in weddings?
I worked for the largest non-profit in TN handling, marketing, membership, fundraising and special events. Started a family and realized I could have a better schedule and make almost as much doing events on my own. Started Premier W.E.D. and haven’t looked back.
What do you like most about weddings?
The “Dream” finally coming to life for that couple when they enter their wedding. Their faces when they see the details laid out and can finally “see” the results of all the planning is priceless.
What’s your favorite wedding pic/video and why?
No way I can choose this b/c I pride myself on individuality and uniqueness. I have many facets of design and to choose just one would be a shame. I love contemporary design, traditional, vintage, urban, country…it all has it’s place!
What is your service philosophy?
My tag line for years has been “We turn fantasies into memorable realities”. I have seen industry people literally copy that word for word into their websites and/or just use versions of it. That isn’t a statement to just use because it sounds pretty. We mean it! I think the point is….I have always strived to bring to life a vision of the client in a manor that is suited to their personality. The service in that is to “hear, help and execute” the clients needs. Some are more involved than others and that is what makes my job so versatile and enjoyable! It’s an honor.
What are your strengths compared to others in your category? Why should a bride hire you?
I am as logistically sound and organized as I am creative. When I was younger and hadn’t met my calling it was a curse. I was never satisfied in my job. Now I am blessed to share my gifts (because I think it is a gift to have that balance) with others.
Who are your 5 favorite Nashville wedding vendors?
A Village of Flowers - Creative, kind and they get my design sense.
Keoni K Photography- Humble, and a great visionary
Liberty Party Rental - Always a friend in the business Jason Davis
DJ - Goes above and beyond his job requirements to help me, which in turn helps the client.
BBJ Linen - service and of course, quality.
Who do you recommend when you’re not available/not a fit?
I’m always available! ☺ I have 3 directors that balance our availability. I try to never turn business away. Not to say I don’t think there are great men and women out there that could be a good referral.
What do you read/watch regularly to stay on top of wedding/event trends?
Wedding magazines of all kinds, I follow the fashion industry a lot (I feel it has a huge hand in event design) and I certainly don’t watch the reality shows! They drive me batty!
Which wedding trend do you love?
Vintage weddings
Which trend do you hate?
Party buses for guests.
Which trend are you glad is gone?
Dollar Dance, twinkle lights and tulle
Which trend are you sad is gone?
Porcelain wedding cake toppers
What are your favorite wedding websites/ neatest wedding find?
etsy.com because of it’s uniqueness and it’s been a couple of years now, but the ring bearer bowl was my favorite. It’s just now becoming popular.
What's the one thing you think a budget bride should always make it into a budget:
A WEDDING PLANNER AND DIRECTOR!!!
What's one way brides can save money/be more economical?
All in one wedding location/ and or no alcohol
For the platinum bride, what is the one thing youve always wished a bride would add?
Out of state rental items that are non-existent in TN.
What would be doing if you did not work in weddings?
Interior Design
Favorite TV show and why?
Used to be Lost but now nothing….no time to watch TV
Last vacation?
Vegas Baby!
What are you reading?or last thing you read?
The Power of a Praying Wife, NY weddings, and Janet Evanovich, Stephanie Plum Novel series. I admit to needing a little, what I call…Bubble gum for the brain sometimes. I have to let my mind rest.
Just curious, what advice would you give to brides on choosing a florist?
Compare quotes and apples to apples. Don’t get two different design schemes and try to compare…it never works.
What is the biggest misconception about your industry?
The biggest misconception is that they can’t afford me or any wedding director much less a planner. (Again…two totally different jobs!) My most budget minded client I have had to date just said…..”You can’t afford NOT to have a planner!” She didn’t understand that until getting further into the process and seeing the tricks I pulled and the favors I asked for to get her wedding in the right budget.
Does your company do anything special that a green bride might want to know?
We offer vendors who specialize in green products. Catering, invitations, rentals, etc.
We hope this spotlight on Premier W.E.D. and the fantastic pictures that Dawn has shared inspire you - they really are spectacular. For more information on Premier W.E.D., you can visit their website where you'll see more pictures and events they have done on their blog. You can also follow them on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook!
Photos provided by: Premier W.E.D.
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Posted by Tabitha |
Filed under: Luxury Wed Finds, Wedding Planners & Coordinators
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Friday, July 23, 2010
You're Invited Gifts, Paper and Events is a one-stop shop for your custom wedding needs. Their Belle Meade event boutique offers wedding planning, event design and custom invitations.
They have a very special, time-sensitive offer for ABG readers: Now through August 10th, ABG readers receive $150 off any wedding consultation package when you mention ABG plus an additional 10% off any event/wedding invitation. Definitely give them a call soon and be sure to mention that you're an ABG bride!
To give you a taste of their work, I am excited to feature a recent photoshoot by You're Invited, captured by Jonathon Campbell Photography. You're Invited's Summer Soiree photo shoot was, put simply, exquisite. The great thing about this Summer Soiree design is you can contact You're Invited and have them plan your bridal shower, bridesmaid luncheon or event and they can recreate the exact look below OR you can use the concept as inspiration. Either way - they can help you from plan to design. It doesnt get much easier than that!
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Stephanie Alexander & Anna Peebles of You're Invited
Guest Blogger: Stephanie Alexander of You're Invited Events - Bridal Luncheon Summer Soiree
The photos capture the perfect bridesmaid's luncheon. Hot pinks and lime greens are a combination I love with the white which really pops against those colors. This invitation was the inspiration for this hot pink and lime green Bridal Shower/Bridesmaid’s Luncheon. Oftentimes, I will take an invitation and use it to help develop the overall look and feel of a party. If you need inspiration for your next party, I encourage you to visit an invitation/stationery store for ideas! Birds are a hot trend right now, in both décor and invitation design.
We packaged the invitations in little white boxes that had been lined in hot pink raffia. I love non-traditional ways of sending a fabulous invitation.
I chose a 60” square table with fuchsia satin linen, and a 48” round table with a lime green linen for the food and beverages. I love using a mixture of square and round tables at parties. I also chose white chiavari chairs. The crisp white really pops against the pinks and the greens. For the 60” square table where guests were seated, we used 4 large green topiaries, a glass pitcher filled with lime slices, wheat grass in ceramic containers and little bird boxes (to continue with our bird theme) and lime green Caspari placemats. In addition, we used monogrammed Pickard china for the placesettings. This Pickard china is extremely popular for bride’s wedding registries. (Rentals were courtesy of Music City Tents & Events).
For this particular arrangement, I used Bells of Ireland, pink larkspur, green curly willow and hot pink dried floral accents. In addition, I filled 8 bud vases with pink sweet peas. I placed these bud vases around the table near each guest’s place setting.
Putting the fresh dogwood blossoms in the jars is brilliant!
I created bird sticks for the dessert shooter glasses. The dessert shooters were strawberries and cream trifle and key lime and cream dessert shots. I wanted to incorporate the pink and green into the food and beverage table as well. I also served sparkling pink punch and rimmed the etched antique glasses with pink sugar. In addition, I utilized glass bird containers in varying heights, and Anna filled them with fresh dogwood blossoms. Another decoration I used on the food and beverage table was wheat grass in wooden boxes. To add another dimension, I added sweet pea stems to the boxes for a pop of pink color.
Dessert shots are a fun, one-serving option
This set up could also be taken indoors, we just happened to have a fabulous day with gorgeous weather but you could create this inside in a beautiful dining area or a screened in porch. A good party can be done indoors or outdoors and as a planner, I always have a back-up plan. If it had rained that day, I had the screened in porch ready to go at the house we shot these pictures at.
Absolutely delightful! Thank you so much for filling us in on the shoot. and thank you to Jonathon Campbell Photography for sharing the pictures with us. What blew me away was the fact that Stephanie did everything herself - the food, the arrangements, the beverages and the dessert. So this set up can be done regardless of your budget and whether you're a D.I.Y. bride or if you have a limitless budge to hire vendors such as You're Invited.
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Posted by Tabitha |
Filed under: Bridal Showers, Luncheons, Parties, Bridesmaids & Bridal Party, Inspiration & Trends, Invitations & Paper Goods, Luxury Wed Finds, Wedding Planners & Coordinators
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Monday, June 28, 2010
Last month, AshleysBrideGuide.com hosted a Girls Night Out to celebrate the debut of the second Sex and City movie. We threw a fabulously fun party at Nashville's Aloft Hotel, which is one of my favorite places to celebrate anything! We just received the party pictures from Kristyn Hogan, lifestyle photographer and Jonathon Campbell Photography!
Over the next 6 days, Tabitha and I will share our "Six Days of Sex" - to take you behind the scenes and give you the inside scoop on the party. These details will give you everything you need (from ideas to a full list of event vendors) to plan your own wedding, rehearsal dinner, bridal shower, birthday party, anniversary or corporate event.
THE TEAM: Nashville Wedding & Event Planners + Me
No successful event can be achieved alone. With me, no event can be undertaken without wedding and event planners - no event! I break out in hives just thinking about planning a party. I dont event like to coordinate dinner plans with friends. It's just not my thing. For this reason - I strongly advise brides to hire a professional wedding planner. Your wedding is much more involved than my SATC party. You're emotional, trying to manage family and friends who are emotional, spending more money on a day that you will ever spend again - you need a planner!
Tabitha of ABG (left), Sharon of Jonathon Campbell Photograph (mid), Amy of Swizzle Events (right)
For my event - I turned to ABG wedding planners. I like to work with planners on my site because I like to know their strengths and who is best to recommend to you as you plan your wedding. Plus, I know many of them personally and it's always fun to work with people you know and trust.
My SATC planning team was large because I didnt want to overwhelm out any single wedding planner, since this wasnt a paid gig:). My team consisted of:
Event Planners: Meropi of By Heart and Hand, Kristin of Simply Stunning Events, Amy of Swizzle Events
Event Decor: Toni of Celebrations by Design and Stephanie of You're Invited Gifts, Paper and Events; Jennifer of Reveal Event Style.
Stephanie of You're Invited (left), Toni of Celebrations by Design (right)
THE VISION: The Look and Location
My vision for the SATC2 party was sexy, city chic. I wanted a venue that was modern and sleek. Initially, I selected Events @1418, a wonderful downtown venue with exposed brick, rooftop party, great location. I was concerned about rain because I had to use the rooftop to achieve the "vibe" but I would need a tent as the month of May can often be rainy in Nashville (hence the May flood!) but a tent was not in the budget. So Events @ 1418 was out:(...for this event - maybe not the next!
Then it hit me - Aloft Hotel! I love their look, it already had the NYC look and was right off the interstate with ample parking, making it equally accessible. (You should also consider accessiblity as you plan your wedding. It will make your guests happy:).
I called Kristen of Aloft and she said yes! Aloft made it super easy! They were flexible, accommodating and worked with us as we transformed their hotel lobby into an all out girls party! Aloft is a great option for guest rooms, small parties. All of our partygoers LOVED the look of the hotel. You really feel like you are in a big city when you're in the hotel. You should check it out.
THE DECOR: A Sexy Welcome
My one specific request was that you needed to know it was a SATC party when you walked in. That wasn't easy! By the end of the party planning - a few days before the event, those famous SATC pink letters were no where to be found. I turned to two wedding magicians to help - Jen of Reveal Event Designs who then referred Designs in Paper.
Jen is the girl when you need hard to find design elements or are planning an event that requires out of the box styling. She designed movie sets and is one of the most creative folks I know. I told her that I needed a backdrop that guests could take pics in front of and one that would also serve as our entrance. She said "no problem!". And like that - my sexy backdrop problem was solved. She turned to Blue Nova Designs and together, they created the party's entrance wall with custom draping. It wasnt easy due to the space's ceilings but Blue Nova made several trips from their warehouse to the hotel until it was perfect!
I told Jen that I still needed the SATC letters and she informed me that Designs in Paper created a vinyl floor monogram for one of her brides. I spoke with them on Monday to tell them what I wanted and by Wednesday, the letters were done and were EXACTLY what I wanted. These letters are vinyl stickers that adhere to just about any surface and are removable! I reached out to a few printing companies to quote the letters and their rates were double DnP's rates!
If you need letter so for your dance floor or accent walls - contact DNP! It would be great for a wedding monogram that you could then remove and place in your home.
We placed the SATC monogram on the floors, the fabric backdrop and the bar. These vinyl letters from Designs in Paper can also go on windows, doors, anywhere!
THE DECOR: Sexy Party Rentals & Accessories
The party had to be sexy, vibrant and fun! Aloft didnt require a lot of decor since it's colors are vibrant and modern. Plus, the space was very limited so my decor team had a lot of contraints. I was "that client" who had a list of wishes but no budget AND many obstacles:). I told Toni and Stephanie, my decor experts, that I wanted it sexy and sleek but they couldnt have any floor space. Yikes! The delivered!
They headed to the party planners dream resource - Fabu Event and Wedding Decor! The goal at Fabu was bling! They were looking for stunning elements that could be used in limited space. They did a great job with my crazy restrictions. The also went to Hobby Lobby for the oversized SATC letters which they spray painted and glitterized.
The large bar cylinders are from Fabu. They added pop and bling without taking up space.
The jeweled votive holders are also from Fabu; letters from Hobby Lobby and customized by You're Invited.
Don't miss more party details tomorrow!
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Posted by Ashley of Ashley's Bride Guide |
Filed under: Inspiration & Trends, Wedding Planners & Coordinators, Wedding Resources
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