Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Obviously, garden venues are perfect for spring and summer, but what else? Well, when I think gardens I think beautiful evening strolls, Alice in Wonderland inspiration and fairy tale touches. There are so many themes to choose from or come up with when you have such a pure surrounding of flowers, greenery and the sun. So, I did a little digging and found some of Nashville’s greatest garden wedding venues.
Image by Shots by Cheyenne
Front Porch Farms
Telephone: (615) 394-1838 (Ask for Kathy)
Website: FrontPorchFarmsTN.com
Image by Kristyn Hogan
How does 32 acres of green pastures sound? The perfect backdrop to a garden-inspired wedding would be the scenery Front Porch Farms offers. The property includes the main house, guest house, fishing pond, pool, barn and a 3400 square foot pavillion. They pretty much have anything your heart could desire; and an outdoor wedding can accommodate up to 250 guests. Double plus – go to their website and read some of their “Love Stories”, they are super sweet and will get you super pumped for your big day.
CJ’s Off the Square
Telephone: (615) 216-7576
Website: CJsoffTheSquare.com
Images by The Collection
Not only does CJ’s use your personality to bring your wedding to life, it’s simply beautiful. For brides who want to feel close and intimate to your groom and your guests. Request a brochure on their website and add them to your list of possibilities. Their home and garden area can accommodate up to 135 people and complete wedding packages start at $6995. But don’t assume CJ’s is for strictly spring/summer weddings, they can put on a warm, whimsical winter wedding if that’s your fancy.
Southall Eden Farm
Telephone: 615-775-4080
Website: SouthallEden.com
This is the perfect venue for a touch of nature with a little bit of your country roots to kick it up a notch. And maybe you just want to take your pictures outside? Well, they have a barn loft where you can exchange your vows if that’s your preference. It has enough down-home flavor to feel comfortable but it has enough beauty to remind everyone that it’s your special day.
Southall Eden images by The Photographix
Cheekwood
Address: 1200 Forrest Park Drive Nashville Tennessee 37205
Telephone: 615-354-6377
Website: Cheekwood.org/Private_Events/Weddings.aspx
Image by Donald Yeager
Yes, I’ve bragged about Cheekwood in a previous post but it’s not only a great choice for a venue it's also one of Nashville’s gems. And they have an array of facilities for any type of bride or party size. I’ve mentioned before that the Reflection Pool was one of my favorite areas so this time I’ll show some love to the Herb Garden. It can seat around 125 people and it’s just so pretty!
Sunken Garden at Centennial Park
Address: 511 Oman Street, Nashville, TN 37203
Telephone: 615-862-8400
Website: Nashville.gov/parks/newsevents/planning_events.asp
Image courtesy of Chip Curley on pBase.com
Most people think Centennial Park + Looking for a wedding venue = Parthenon. Which, in my opinion is a super, cool place to be wed but they have more options! For example, their sunken garden is filled with beautiful flowers for a bride who always wanted an outdoor wedding sponsored by Mother Earth. And their fees are more than reasonable. Just in case you’re scared of rain on your wedding day (don’t sweat it because it’s supposed to be a sign of good luck) couples can also reserve the Pavilion.
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Posted by Grace |
Filed under: Wedding Venues and Locations
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Tuesday, April 19, 2011
We are all guilty of coveting weddings that we see on blogs and magazines. There's so much wedding eye candy that it's challenging to decide what's right for your day and then nearly impossible to pull together all of the details without breaking the bank buying or renting every item that you need to complete your look.
But did you know that there are a few (very few) Nashville venues that INCLUDE decor rentals in their overall wedding packages? This is an enormous benefit if you are a bride that wants a blog-worthy wedding but dont have the vision or time or desire to do it yourself. Not only does it save you from having to coordinate with several companies to select, rent and have your items delivered but it also saves you money.
All-inclusive Cedarwood is one of one of those rare venues. When you select them as your venue, you simply choose a wedding package and their team handles all of the coordination - from design and florals to cakes. And yes, most of the items that you see featured on their wedding blog are available to all of their brides!
Today we take a look at all the huge array of items Cedarwood includes in their wedding packages, from their collection of fine china to their collection of used, found objects, and the looks they can create with these objects. Best part about this? It's all eco-friendly!
Photography by Kate Crafton Photography
Colored Glass - Even on their own in their natural state, mason jars have such charm. But add a touch of blue or green and glass takes on a whole new life, becoming complementary to the objects placed in them.
At first glance the cobalt blue glass is very striking and you may think that it's good for just really over-the-top designs (at least, I did) but when used with white linens and burlap runners, the entire look is a softer and more muted rustic, where there's color without jarring the senses and goes perfectly with the blue hydrangeas.
Antiques - They may not be functioning anymore but these found objects can still work as props and display stands. Hold favors in the wooden boxes, create various heights and levels with books to keep tablescapes interesting and really enhance the feel of your wedding if what you're going for is a vintage vibe.
As a photography buff, I would have loved to have the antique cameras on each of the tables as part of the centerpiece.
The simple hurricane isn't just for candles. Cedarwood has used them to house floral arrangements that look like terrariums. These lanterns are versatile accent pieces and aren't limited to only the rustic looks but can also be used in more classic style weddings to add texture.
Photograped by Justin Wright Photography
Opal Glass - better known as "milk glass" due to its white color; this glass was made in the 16th century as dinnerware. Cedarwood stores theirs in an antique china cabinet and the collection is impressive to say the least. Its antique leanings aside, the polished nature of this glass makes it useful to both vintage and contemporary weddings either as accents or to hold objects.
Yellows and blues have even more pizzazz when set against the pristeen white bowls and vases. (Photograped by Dove Wedding Photography)
Bold and beautiful against the bright orange and stark black (Photographed by Dove Wedding Photography)
Cake stands - Whether wrought iron or wood, Cedarwood's cake stands fit any style from vintage to whimsical like in the picture from Aspen & Brad's Halloween themed wedding. The wood cake stand (below left) was filled with cupcakes and caramel apples.
Photography by Ace Photography
These white milk glass platters would work well holding cookies, petit fours or, well, pies!
Photographed by Dove Wedding Photography
This is just the tip of the design iceberg by Cedarwood, they have so much more on hand and can do so much more, you should see it for yourself. From modern to vintage, art deco to French, whatever the style you seek Cedarwood will be able to make it happen so visit their blog for more inspiration and information on their full-design packages for weddings. Contact them soon to reserve their venue and when you do be sure to let them know that Ashley's Bride Guide referred you!
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Posted by Tabitha |
Filed under: Details, Design & Florals, Wedding Venues and Locations
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Monday, April 18, 2011
On Friday, we featured a lovely couple - Randi & Dan - who planned their wedding with the help of StudioWed Nashville. But many of you may wonder what StudioWed is and how they can help you.
AshleysBrideGuide.com is a wedding planning website. Every day, we introduce you to great wedding vendors or share important wedding information or ideas. StudioWed Nashville is a wedding planning studio, a bit like our website, only in in-person. The help is complimentary and the team - Mary Alice and Leigh - meet with brides every day to help them find wedding vendors for their wedding day.
StudioWed has connected brides with some of Nashville's best wedding vendors and has given them a conveniently located space to use for wedding meetings. StudioWed Nashville is great for brides who want in-person, hands on help with hiring wedding planners, floral designers, and other wedding pros.
Learn more about the studio in my Q+A with them today.
Leigh + Mary Alice, owners of StudioWed Nashville
Contact Info
Name: StudioWed Nashville
Main Contact: Mary Alice Sublett or Leigh Barker
Phone Number: 615.739.5477
Email Address: maryalice at studiowed dot net or leigh at studiowed dot net
Twitter: twitter.com/StudioWedNash
Facebook fan page: facebook.com/studiowednashville
How did you get started in weddings?
StudioWed celebrated its first anniversary last month! But we’ve been in the weddings industry since 2000 & 2005!
A wedding ceremony by A Delightful Day Planning (Image by Kristyn Hogan)
How did you get started in weddings?
Leigh's wedding career began in 2000 when she was first asked to photograph a wedding. Her love for photography and creativity only grew from there as she began to photograph several weddings a year. In 2004, she coordinated her first wedding and decided to take it on full-time after a few years!
After planning her own wedding, Mary Alice decided to pursue a career directing others' weddings. She earned her certification by the Association of Certified Professional Wedding Consultants and completed an internship with Mary Dann, a renowned California event coordinator. She's been in business since 2005 as a planner/coordinator at her company, A Delightful Day.
The two of us worked together for a few years at A Delightful Day and decided in 2009 to open a franchise of StudioWed in Nashville! And here we are!
Image by Phindy Studios
Image by Kristyn Hogan
What do you like most about weddings?
Mary Alice - The decor! I love seeing the different fabrics, florals, and paper goods come together to create an amazing wedding design!
Leigh – The details and especially the dress!
What is StudioWed about? What service do you provide newly engaged couples?
StudioWed Nashville is an exclusive collection of Nashville’s finest wedding professionals, available in a fun and modern studio. Our vendors include photographers, venues, wedding cakes, florists, and everything in between to plan your Nashville wedding. We invite both Nashville brides and brides whose wedding destination is Nashville to come in and enjoy the relaxation and ease that planning your wedding should be!
StudioWed’s services are completely complimentary; just call and we’ll set up the appointments with the vendors you want to meet, or we can introduce you to a variety of wedding professionals who will best fit your needs, style, and budget.
A Nashville wedding by StudioWed's (Image courtesy of Phindy Studios)
What is your service philosophy?
To provide a luxury experience through personalized wedding design and exceptional service from expert vendors who guide brides through an efficient planning process in a relaxing and inspiring studio.
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Photography by Lotus Blossom Photography
Who are your vendors?
Planning - A Delightful Day Event Planning, Simply Stunning Events
Make-up/ Dress/ Style - Amy Lynn Larwig, The Bride Room, Uncle Classic Barbershop, Street Tuxedo
Catering/ Cakes - Chef’s Market, Clean Plate Club, Crumb de la Crumb
Venues - Cedarwood, Nashville City Club, Nashville Marriott at Vanderbilt University, Noah Liff Opera Center, CJ’s Off the Square, Events @ 1418
Photo/Video - Kristyn Hogan, Lotus Blossom Photography, McNeal Wedding Films, FocalPoint Cinematic Weddings, Photobooth Nashville
Lighting/Decor/Floral - Brocade Design Arts, Blue Nova Designs, Classic Party Rentals, White Table Linens, Nashville Audio Visual
Entertainment - Cosmo Creations DJ Service, Wedding Musicians Company, Prime Source Entertainment,
Stationery - Sweet Life Designs
Miscellaneous - Elegant Event Sitters
**For all links to StudioWed's Vendors click here.
Rustic floral arrangement by Brocade Design Arts
Wedding fare by Clean Plate Club Catering
Stationery by Sweet Life Designs
What do you read/watch regularly to stay on top of wedding/event trends?
Bride Tide, The Knot, Pizzazzerie, GreenWed, Brides, Weddings Unveiled magazine and Unveiled blog... so many places!
A candy bar set up at a wedding planned by A Delightful Day
What are your favorite wedding websites? Neatest wedding find?
Style Me Pretty, Southern Weddings, Snippet & Ink, 100 Layer Cake.
Where can we find you if you’re not working with a bride?
MA - Scrapbooking and spending time with my hubby and pooches, Lucy and Gracie.
Leigh – Working on the house with my hubby!
What would be doing if you did not work in weddings?
MA - Teaching!
Visit StudioWed Nashville's website for more information, inspiration and to give them a call at no obligation! Be sure to tell them that their friends at Ashley's Bride Guide sent you. Happy planning!
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Posted by Ashley of Ashley's Bride Guide |
Filed under: Advice & Planning, Wedding Resources
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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, Real Nashville Weddings
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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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