Wedding Dresses

While I've posted a few of my favorite Bridal Runway Gowns for 2010, here are a few from Pepe Botella Novias for 2009;these are actually designed by his daughter, Lucia Botella. You know that I love ruffles and chiffon along with anything ultra feminine and Lucia's lines do just that. They provide the feeling of being adored, demure, elegant, classy, feminine and beautiful on your wedding day.

Now offering "The Sweetest Thing"

Who hasn't been to a recent wedding, bridal shower, baby shower, birthday party or other event that didn't have a great candy buffet? If you haven't, you can now have the opportunity because I now offer Candy Buffets! Actually, you can customize it any way you want; popcorn, candy apple, cookies, miniature cakes, what ever you fancy.

The great thing about these sweet buffets is that they can add that great special touch to your event and certainly leave every one talking, and on a great sugar rush!

I love the elegance and color schemes used by Admardecor Event Design & Planning Group




Amy Atlas always provides great eye candy.


Love this monochromatic white scheme, so chic!


Just so lovely I had to include them!






Don't forget the kids!


Call today and make sure your next event is "The Sweetest Thing".

"Ice Yourself"

Weddings take so many countless hours of research, contemplation, compromise, heartache, celebration and so many other emotions and no doubt, it's all about the dress! Right? While you have flipped through every InStyle Wedding Magazine, Brides Magazine and checked out every flickr image, wedding designer's website and endless blogs, you've found "THE" dress. You want to make sure the entire ensemble is flawless and speaks volumes about your style and who you are. I am quite eclectic and can flip between an edgy style like Sarah Seven to the classically elegant bride and float away in Monique Lhuillier. While every fantastic bride needs a fantastic dress, she must also accessorize! You can now wear thousands of dollars worth of gorgeous once in a lifetime jewelry like you're on your own red carpet, or monogrammed aisle runner. At Adorn, you are able to actually rent timeless jewelry for your wedding day! They have a great selection, extremely easy to follow policy, and all for terrific prices.


The Bates Bracelet retails for $15,500 and rents for $520


The Lockwood Necklace retails for $24,000 and rents for $490


The Pearl Necklace retails for $15,000 and rents for $350


The Blackwell Wedding Jewelry Set retails for $30,300 and can be rented for $800.

Adorn offers a style for every bride and is sure to help you put the "icing" on the cake at your wedding!

Head on Over

So many of you know that I love Beaty Photography! I love the work they do, their work ethic, talent and them as a couple. Check out their site and see the fantastic work they did capturing the true spirit of the busiest three year old ever, my son!

Interview with Shannon Langston

Do you need a wedding or event planner? Only you can answer that question, but if you do decide on a wedding or event planner you want to make sure you are getting what you pay for.

What can a coordinator do for you?

*Help you to create the type of wedding you want. With that knowledge you'll be able to pick your venue, vendors, color scheme, theme, music, etc.
*Help you create a budget sheet and keep track of where your money is going and how much you still owe
*Help keep you on your budget and not go over...too much!
*Suggest vendors that fit your budget and vision
*Make a wedding/event planning schedule so that you know what you've done and what still needs to be done
*In most cases a coordinator can save you money because of their connections in the industry
*Take care of emergencies that arise
*Create a wedding/event day schedule

With this being said, do I qualify as a professional coordinator? You be the judge.

Question and Answer with Shannon Langston, Owner of A Party to Perfection

1) How long have I been a wedding coordinator?
-Six years
2)What coordinating organization do you belong to and do you have a diploma?
-I have received an event management certification and am currently working on my Professional Bridal Consultant certification. I will become a member of the Association of Bridal Consultants upon completion of my certification program (270 hours). I am a member of Event Peeps, National Association of Professional Women, and A VIP member of Who's Who of American Business Owners
3)How do you charge?(Percentage, flat fee, hourly)
-My packages are based on a flat fee per event. I do include a specified time frame in my wedding packages and if time has expired, I may charge an hourly fee.
4)How much will you charge on the services we need?
-I want to provide the best service possible at an affordable and honest price to both my client and myself. I have a base price for all of my packages, but these can all be customized to fit your needs and the amount of time required. I will definitely work with my client and their budget.
5)How may times will we meet and how long will each meeting last?
-This too, depends on the type of event which you are requesting my services. If you need me to arrange a Bridal or Baby Shower,our initial consultation may last only one hour. If you are requesting my services to orchestrate your wedding a year out, it may be a much longer consultation. I do not adhere to the clock when I'm meeting with my clients. I want both of our times to be respected, but will meet with you as long as possible to understand you and your vision.
6)Will you meet with our vendors and look over their contracts?
-Absolutely! I will make sure that everything we have discussed is in the vendor contract. I actually request copies of contracts you have already signed prior to our meeting for my review. I also want you to review your contract with me to make sure you are getting the agreed upon service!
7)Do you have a backup in case of emergency and can't make our wedding and who they are?
-Yes, this will be detailed in all of my contracts that are specific to your booked event
8)Can you help plan a wedding on our budget?
-Yes, it's easy to plan an event with a limitless budget, but that's not the case 98% of the time. There are so many options available today that there is no reason you can't have a beautiful event on a limited budget.
9)Will you contact our vendors before our event?
-Absolutely! I will always contact contracted vendors to make sure that everyone understands what is expected of them and when.
10)Can you handle last minute emergencies and changes?
-That's the scariest part of my job! Give me a Bridezilla any day, but the unexpected if truly frightening! Part of my job is covering and preparing for any possible scenario and having a backup plan. Will an emergency pop up? Yes. Will I be prepared to handle them? Yes. I"ll post more about the scenarios to be prepared for in a later post.

I know this post was winded, but it's a start. There are so many other questions to answer and I will gladly answer them, just shoot me an email or post it as a comment!

Coming Soon

Later this week there will be a new category that I will update weekley called "Locally Lucky in Love" and this will highlight all of the local bride and grooms that are tying the knot. If you know of someone, their wedding date and their location let me know and I'll make sure to add them!

Also, I will have another interview with...me. I will have a little Q&A with myself to post to readers about my experience, thoughts, passions, obsessions, etc. I hope this will give interested brides and grooms, mothers, expectant mothers and whoever else a comforting feeling that I am truly passionate, competent and there for them 100%.

Stay tuned!

2010 Bridal Gown Trends

In addition to posting photographs of all of the beautiful gowns that were featured in the 2010 Runway shows, I would like to list the inspiration for these designs.

While the 2009 Bridal Gowns were favorable to matte fabrics like chiffon and slender skirts, the newest collections are bringing back the ballgown.

This Maria K. Couture gown embodies all of 2010 bridal gown frenzy; ballgown, asymetry, a beaded bodice and more!

Kleinfeld Kollection put a sultry elegance to this dress and I love the ruffles and chiffon together!



*Designers are showing dresses with classic ballgown lines, but with fuller skirts and more detail than the traditional ballgown
*The bottom of Bridal Dresses is being dramatized with masses of ruffles, big draped layers, and incredible pinwheels and three- dimensional flower appliques

I love this dress by Celia Perez. The pinwheel flower appliques are so eye catching!


*Another popular look is a gown that is fairly slender through the hips and then flares into an exagerated trumpet skirt

This dress by Jim Hjelm is so sophisticated and deserves to be the spotlight!


*Ruffles are everywhere! They are showing up not only on skirts, but necklines, bolero jackets and veils
*Fabrics for 2010 bridal gowns are trending back towards perennial favorites, satin and taffeta. These fabrics are perfect for the fuller skirts.
*Satin gowns are being embellished with accents such as beaded crystal straps
*Asymmetry is still going to be all the rage! The one shoulder gown will be around for another season. Designers were showcasing their dresses with asymetrical draping and ruching on bodices and skirts
*Designers have seemed to switch from chiffon in 2009 to satin for 2010
*Many designers, Vera Wang in particular, were concentrating on the concept of intentional imperfection, creating eclectic and not too "perfect" gowns.

I love all of the trends for 2010 and can't wait to see them in bridal salons and on brides! They are beautiful, rich in design and have great fabrics and textures. I just want to try them all on!

Arkansas 2009-2010 Bridal Fairs

While many summer weddings are taking place, many brides are just now beginning their planning process and should attend a Bridal Fair or Show for assistance in finding great local vendors. Here are the 2009-2010 Bridal Shows and Fairs throughout the state. I hope to be a participant in a 2010 Bridal Fair in Northwest Arkansas, I'll keep you posted.

Arkansas Democrat
Gazette Bridal Show
Sunday, August 16, 2009
1:00 pm – 5:30 pm
Statehouse Convention Center
Little Rock

Arkansas Democrat
Gazette Northwest Arkansas
Bridal Show & Exhibit
Sunday, September 27, 2009
12:30 pm – 5:00 pm
John Q. Hammons Convention Center
Rogers

The Morning News
The Bridal Affair
Sunday, November 1, 2009
12:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Northwest Arkansas Holiday
Inn Convention Center
Springdale

NWABride
Premier Showcase
Saturday, January 16, 2010
10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Fashion Show – 5 pm
Northwest Arkansas Holiday
Inn & Convention Center
Springdale

Arkansas Democrat
Gazette Bridal Show
Sunday, January 17, 2010
1:00 pm – 5:30 pm
Statehouse Convention Center

2010 Runway Shows

I have meant all week to post, but my three year old insists otherwise. I am spending some quality time with my husband tonight and won't post, but want to tease you with what I will be posting later this week.
The 2010 Runway shows!
I'll start with one designer who steals my breath away, Monique Lhuillier. I absolutely love her style; so elegant, classy and feminine with soft tulle, gorgeous ruffles and fabrics. Her style is classic and current. I couldn't imagine how elegant and timeless a bride feels who is lucky enough to wear one of these gowns!

Interview with Beaty Photography

My long time friends at Beaty Photography who are a husband and wife photography team out of Fort Smith, AR, and I finally got around to a Q&A regarding Wedding Photograhpy.

A Party to Perfection:
What are the largest trends you are seeing in wedding photography?

Beaty Photography:
Bride and Groom First Look
Couples more and more are wanting to see each other before the wedding starts. *Note from A Party to Perfection, this is known as the "bridal presentation"* This is mainly for two reasons: 1) Calm down their nerves a little and 2) It allows for more pictures to be taken before the ceremony, thus making it a better and quicker transition to the reception.
A Photojournalistic approach
This is what we are all about! Capturing the real moments of their wedding day as they happen. Love at its purest.
Day After Sessions
We call ours an "Afterknot Session". The couple can have a session the day after their wedding or after they get back from their honeymoon. The ycan get all dressed up in their wedding day attire and have an awesome session at locations that were unattainable on their wedding day. They are a blast t osay the least!

A Party to Pefection asks: What are some of your favorite shots?

Beaty Photography:
1) Capturing Love's real moments
2)Details, Details, Details
3)Anything Awesome!

A Party to Perfection asks the Beaty's: What should bride's make sure they ask their photographer?

Beaty Photography:
1) Why are you a wedding photographer? Find out if there is a passion behind what they are doing.
2)Do you know how to have fun or what do you do for fun? If they sound fun, then your day will be less stressful.
3) Do they have a business license? Sounds funny to ask, but they will be less likely to skip out on your if they have one.
4) Do you have a second shooter? Are they asking a buddy or another professional to shoot with them? With two photographers, no details will be missed.
5) Do you use professional equipment? Equipment doesn't make the photographer, but there really is a big difference between models and their capabilities.
6) Do you have backup equipment in case something goes wrong? This is a must for any photographer.
7)How do you backup the images after a wedding? This day only happens once so make sure they will properly back up all of your images.
8) Can we contact a few of your past brides? Then ask the brides: "What do you remember about your wedding photographer?" This will reassure you that you've found your perfect photographer.

I want to thank Beaty Photography for taking time to answer these questions and for sending me some of their photos! Make sure to check out their website and blog at www.beatyphotography.com. With this information, the bride and groom will know that they have hired a fun, up to date and professional photographer to cover one of the most important days in their lives!

Bridezilla vs. The Laizzes-Faire Bride

We have all heard of Bridezillas and have probably even witnessed a real-life sighting! But, we may not have all heard of the laizzes-faire bride. I was reading "Be A Guest At Your Own Wedding" in the Spring 2009 Elegant Bride and decided to term this breed of bride the laizzes-faire bride. Plenty of brides hire planners to execute their wedding, the difference is that a growing number of brides are almost completely relinquishing creative (not budgetary) control from the get-go. The article stated that 25% of "The Wedding Library" clients these days are willing to hand her the planning reins. An interviewed bride stated "the element of surprise-and the indulgence of a carefree engagment-makes the event even sweeter." How sweet is that? The good thing about handing over the reings 100% is that you are not looking for the little details that went wrong and only get to enjoy the beauty of the day along with your guests and be just as surprised as they are!

Poll:

Would you hand your wedding plans over 100%? Why? Why Not?

Winning Packages

Congratulations again to Jennifer Taylor for her creatviy! I wanted to stick with the "perfection" theme for my packages, but just couldn't find names that really worked. I thought I would name my full service package "fantastical" or "fantasy", but couldn't think of anything else. Once again, we can blame that on my mommy brain! So, Jennifer thought about using the numerous movie titles that correspond to my packages. Nothing is stuck in stone, but these are the current names for my packages until the creativity bug comes around again!


Destination Wedding Coordination: Run Away Bride




Event Coordination: It's My Party




Wedding Coordination Packages: Love Actually




Full Service Wedding Coordination:While You Were Sleeping

We have a winner!

Congratulations to Jennifer Taylor for submitting her ideas for my Coordination Packages! She will soon receive a copy of the beautiful book by Colin Cowie. I will list the winning names tonight so check back!