Wedding recap of Maria and Arnie - 11.12.11

I’m so excited to share this 2011 wedding I coordinated…it was definitely one of my favorites of the year! (Do I say this every time?!)

As I’ve mentioned before, there’s nothing better than becoming friends with my brides and grooms. Not only does it reduce the stress of all involved, it also helps me execute their vision for the big day.

I began working with Maria last May, so with a November wedding, that meant we only had six months to get things wrapped up! The planning process went smoothly, thanks in part to Maria’s knack for color coordination and decorating. Their colors were gray and black, with touches of aloe green – a gorgeous combo (see pictures below!), especially with the Baltimore Museum of Industry as their setting. Black napkins, chairs, and candles perfectly complemented the pewter pin tuck linens, all of which created a dramatic backdrop for the white hydrangea and succulent centerpieces.

Maria made all of the paper products herself (gotta love DIY brides), and their favors were Berger cookies packaged beautifully. They had a s’mores bar – HUGE hit – which was followed up with a late night snack of White Castles. Perfection!

I could go on and on, but I'll stop there. The pictures speak for themselves and show what a fantastic couple Arnie and Maria are. Big thank you to Ethan Yang Photography for capturing such great shots.

Preparing for their first look...

Too cool. The groomsmen came to BMI on a boat!

Officially Mr. and Mrs. Vale!

Elegant table display and signage

S'mores bar

Cake from Yia Yia's Bakery - beautiful

Maria and Arnie, I am so happy I was a part of your special day. Wish you two the very best!

Food as Wedding Decorations

More tips for my beautiful budget-savvy brides!

Today I’ll focus on using food as part of your wedding day décor. Sounds crazy, right? It’s really not!

When done correctly, food can be presented in such a way to appear classy, chic, rustic, elegant…basically whatever you need it to be. Add that to the fact it’s a heck of a lot cheaper than most floral wedding arrangements, and you’ve got my attention! ;)

Here are some of my faves:

This wedding at Cedarwood, located in beautiful Nashville, really utilized the natural colors of fruits and veggies in their farmer’s market-inspired wedding.

The bright colors of the carrots and apples go perfectly with these wildflowers (also a less expensive flower option!).
[cedarwoodweddings.com]
Pepper nestled in some grass. Bright and pretty, and so unique.
[cedarwoodweddings.com]

I’ve never seen something like this before, and I love it. Definitely going to recommend it to my next “rustic” bride who’s looking for something different!

Now the pictures above obviously work for a country-themed wedding. But what if you want something a little less bright, and a little more simple?

[marthastewartweddings.com]

I think the above display creates a casual, relaxed vibe without breaking the bank. One box of these tomatoes costs around $4 or $5. Just search through your local farmer’s market and place an order for however many you need. Simple and chic, with a rustic flair – not to mention supporting the locals! Added bonus? A few days after the wedding, grab your hubby, the overripe tomatoes, and get down and dirty making home-made marinara sauce.

To go out on a limb, what about herbs as centerpieces? These could double as favors, and they smell great (at least I think so; I’m married to an Italian, so hand me some basil and I’m all set!).

[marthastewartweddings.com]

And finally, my favorite. Be honest with yourselves people. Who wouldn’t want to sit down at a party and have cupcakes as their centerpiece??!

[google.com]

Have you seen any cool food centerpieces lately? Was it beautiful and unique or was it just plain tacky? Email me and let me know!

Recap of Nina and Ryan's Fall Wedding

This past week I was finally able to breathe again…planning and executing my daughter’s first birthday party is behind me now, leaving me with a little bit of breathing room for the next few days.

Today’s blog is a recap of a wedding I coordinated last fall. Nina and Ryan’s wedding was truly special for me because of Nina’s Persian background that she wanted to incorporate. This, along with some budget and etiquette help, is what spurred her to work with me. We spent 14 months planning the big day…14 months that I won’t forget! Nina was such a warm and funny person to work with. It really helps when I get to know my brides and grooms and we become friends throughout the planning process, and this is what happened with Nina. It really allowed me to integrate her and Ryan’s personalities into all aspects of their wedding day.

Nina chose a subtle peacock theme for the day, because she loved the bright colors and it tied in quite well with the feathers on her gown.

Note the feathers in the bouquets – they just give it something extra!

What an awesome belly dancer! This was definitely a first for me but it has become more and more common.

LOVE this candy bar – dried fruit, nuts, and Wockenfuss chocolates. Probably shouldn’t admit it…but I was definitely sneaking a few tastes!

Sweetheart table…notice the peacock feather peeking out from under the menu!

Nina and Ryan had a jazz band that played during the cocktail hour. They were fantastic and I would totally recommend them to future brides.

Nina, you and Ryan are a great couple, and I wish you many more years of happiness. Congratulations again to the both of you!

Thanks to the vendors who helped make this day special:
Stationary and Invitations – MLC Designs
Florist – The Floral Studio
DJ – Beat 2 Beat DJ’s
Engagement Photos – Marcellaneous Photography
Wedding Photography – JS Productions Photography