Etiquette Wednesday

Timing is always a big concern of any bride. I addressed an issue similar to this when meeting with a client last month. Enjoy!

Question: I've been busy with school, so I"m a bit behind with planning. Is five months before the wedding too late to send out save-the-dates?

Answer: It's cutting it close, but you can definitely still send them-especially if you already did all of the work and just need to address them! We typically suggest sending save-the-dates at least six months before the wedding, but since they're not required, you can do it whenever! There are really just two "rules" The first is to make sure that there's more than one month between when guests get the save-the-date and when they receive their invitation. The second is to send the save-the-dates early if you're having a destination event-at least six months before your wedding. You want to give people as much time as possible to book their trip. If you're marrying closer to home, a save-the-date tends to be more of an extra, so if you don't have the time to send them, don't worry. Spread the date by word of mouth instead.

Calderon Halloween Party

On Saturday October 24th, we threw a Halloween Party for the Calderon's and a packed house full of their dressed up guests.


I just love this! Her husband actually did the work, we just provided the instructions. I think it turned out great.






I painted wooden wall letters to spell "Boo" and threaded them with an orange Halloween ribbon. I stained cheese cloth in tea to give it the mummified appeal and stationed felt spiders on top; A hit with the little ones!

The main food station before the goodies.

We were feeding the masses so I prepared:

• Swedish meatballs
• Black Bean Salsa
• Seven Layer Dip
• Quiche
• Mummy Munch (Puppy Chow)
  Fondue Bar

What a centerpiece! I just love making these.

It may remind you of this

The couple actually spent three hours tracing and cutting out these bats!

The fireplace before the full effect:

After:
I colored the water, added floating candles and painted letters to spell "EEK". These were placed at the bottom to help anchor the silk web.

The couple and their guests played Murder Mystery, Limbo (a huge hit), Guitar Hero, Smash the Pinata and more games well into the morning. I think a great time was had by all!

Bride and Bloom - The Middle Eastern Wedding: Party Time

Since I majored in Middle Eastern Studies and minored in Arabic, I apparently hold a great passion for the Middle East-and its culture. I came across this article and had to share it with you.

The Middle Eastern Wedding: Party Time: "The Middle Eastern Wedding:
Party Time

Can’t Hardly Wait: Just like many other cultures, Middle Easterners love to start the wedding festivities as soon as possible. And who can blame them? An engagement is certainly a good reason to celebrate. The first of five wedding parties starts with the engagement party, where friends and family get together for food, drinks, music, and dancing that can last well into the night. At this party, the to-be bride can change her dress up to five times! There is a second similar celebration called the “mahar” held when the bride and groom sign their marriage license. The second to biggest party is the third one, called the “henna” party. Sound familiar? Yes, getting henna tattoos was a fad several years ago, but it all started from this very Middle Eastern tradition. At the henna party, the bride’s hands and feet are painted to ward off evil spirits. The bride wears a green dress at this party and it goes on until the dawn of the wedding day.

The Biggest Bash: By far the most extravagant of the five celebrations is the fourth one, which is like a traditional reception in other cultures. There are speeches, dancing, singing, and traditional Middle Eastern music. Very often, each guest is given five almond pieces to symbolize the five sacred wedding wishes: health, happiness, wealth, fertility, and longevity.

A Modest Finale: The fifth and final party resembles the wedding shower of the U.S. and Europe. It is called “sabaa”, which means “seven”, because it is traditionally held seven days after the wedding.

iPhone apps for planning your wedding

We are all so busy today with careers, families, friends and life that we easily get overwhelmed. Add planning a wedding to that and it can be completely overwhelming and stressful. For those who have the iPhone, grab these applications to aid you in your wedding planning...or simply call me to schedule an appointment!


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Posted using ShareThis

Hot Cocoa bar!

If you do not know already, I do candy buffets! This isn't the limit, oh no! With the fall weather approaching it always makes me think of sitting by the fireplace with a cup of hot cocoa filled to the top with marshmallows! For those who are planning a Fall Wedding or Holiday party, why not offer these great pairings with cocoa?

• Peppermint sticks


• Cinnamon sticks


• Chocolate coated spoons


• Biscotti


• Ginger snap cookies


• Marshmallows (big and small)


• Doughnuts (cinnamon and sugar and regular cake, oh yum!)


• Rock Candy Sticks


• Chocolate chips


• Mint Sticks/Leaves/Chips/Chocolates


• Whipped Cream


• Nutmeg and other spices to dust on top


• Candy crumbles: chocolate bars, cookies, peppermint


• For the Adults: Bailey's, Kahlua, Peppermint Schnapps

An assortment of cookies and biscotti would be a great accompaniment. You can also create favors for your guests by filling mugs with a packet of hot cocoa, marshmallows and a dipped spoon wrapped beautifully for your guests.

Wednesday Etiquette Question

Question: What are the financial responsibilities of the groom's family?

Answer: Traditionally, the hosts of the wedding were the bride's parents and they picked up a majority of the financial responsibility. The groom and his parents were responsible for:
The engagement and wedding rings
The boutonnieres and bride's bouquet
The transportation from the reception/ceremony
The honeymoon
A wedding gift for the bride
The marriage license and any other legal or official fees
The officiant's fee
Flowers for both mothers
Housing for his out of town guests
The rehearsal dinner

But, times are changing! Many couples are contributing financially to their wedding or paying for it all. These are just the items that are traditionally paid for by the groom and his parents. The key is to make sure that everyone contributing is comfortable with the agreed upon terms and that the final decision should be that of the Bride and Groom.

Style Tuesday

I just discovered Stephanie Browne via Darcy's blog regarding the Bridal Market. I love fascinators, feathers and anything statement making; too bad I am not brave enough to actually wear them! I just had to share some of the fabulous "must haves" coming out of Australia!




Hayworth Feather Comb:



Vintage Rose:




Catwalk Comb:



Spring Feather Comb:

Silk Feather Comb:

Tip of the day Monday

No matter what dream dress you have purchased, how you chose to do your hair, the hours of waxing, tweezing, whitening, tanning and grooming you have done-it can all come out less than picture perfect if you freak in front of the camera. Today's tips come from the December/January issue of Modern Bride on How to Look Great in pictures! Yea!


1) Just Breathe.
It helps to relax the face. And you can't smile naturally if you're holding your breath.


2) Avoid the beauty-pageant stance.
So many of us are guilty of this! My older sister has her signature stance deemed "The Arkansas Curve"!

Avoid the beauty pageant stance, where shoulders are square and the hips are angled away from the camera to appear narrower. Instead of having your feet at 11 and 6, try 11 and 2 for a more natural (but still streamlined) look.


3) Be aware of your upper arms.
It is best if they are held slightly away from the body. When you pose with your bouquet, rest your lower arms gently against the hip bones with your hands relaxed and pointing down.


4) Be extra aware of your posture.
Especially if you go the strapless route. Keep your shoulders down and back but don't stick your chest out.


5) A great way to keep from squinting: If the sun's glare is an issue, look at something dark (or keep eye's closed) until your photographer lets you know they are ready to shoot.


*Tip* Place a dark blanket, groomsman's jacket, etc. on the ground in front of you to help with the sunlight.

Real Wedding Thursday

I came across this Real Wedding courtesy of Polka Dot Bride and decided to feature this as our first Real Wedding. This Real Wedding took place in Sydney, Australia and I just love the fun vibe of this wedding and the nautical theme.

The wedding ceremony took place at the MCA (Museum of Contemporary Art).

The Bride and her Bridesmaids all wore dresses by Vera Wang.

The scrumptious candy buffet!

This poem may be familiar to those Sex and the City fans. I have never seen this in a wedding ceremony before, unique.

I just love all of the stripes!

Pod Flowers designed all of the arrangements for the day.

The bride designed all of the nautical stationary from her company Three Peas.

How could your guests not mingle with a view of the Sydney Harbor?!

Photos all by Crave Images

If you would like to be selected as a Real Wedding please send me your submission and photos (with permission from your photographer) to Shannon_Langston@cox.net!

Fabulous Find Friday

I usually drive those shopping with me crazy because I have envisioned in my head what I am looking for, but can never actually find it in a store. If I do find it, it always needs tweaking. A big thanks to Shoes of Prey! You can actually design that perfect event shoe. It's all about the shoes, right?!

The site lets you pick out your toe style, heel shape, heel height, fabric, color, rossettes or bows, and so on.

I need a smaller heel because I"m already six feet tall
I always love a leather or animal print
Peep toe or closed
Rosettes, you bet!

or

Maybe you want something that will pop underneath those gorgeous silver gowns!

Etiquette Wednesday

Question: Do my bridesmaid's have to be female? Do my groomsmen have to be men?

Answer: A man or woman can serve as honor attendant for the opposite sex, if the duties are adapted appropriately ( for instance, the man shouldn't help the bride dress!)

What's in a theme?

Some might say that I have been very random when posting to my blog. I stay plenty busy reading, researching and staying in the know but have just had too much information stored away and no rhyme or reason to my posts. I have just been discussing random bits of information as I come across it, which I will continue to do, but in an organized manner. How great will this be? I've decided on the following themes for daily posting:

Monday=Organized Mondays (also offering tips)
I will help to keep you organized as your plan your wedding. I will offer great advice, gadgets, books, etc. that will help you stay organized, on task and focused on preparing for your big day.

Tuesday=Style
I will find great dresses, accessories, centerpieces, ceremony decor, reception ideas, cakes, flowers and so much more! Anything that's making the scene will be covered here.

Wednesday=Etiquette
I will address the Q&A's of planning. I will either address etiquette rules or be answering your etiquette questions! If you have a question, make sure to email me at Shannon_Langsto@cox.net to see it answered.

Thursday=Real Weddings
I will show photos from Real Weddings that caught my attention all across the globe. These could be southern, vintage, modern, casual, flamboyant, etc.

Friday=Fabulous Finds
I will touch on any interesting topics that pertain to planning your event, fabulous honeymoon destinations, websites, blogs, books and whatever else.

So, we will start tomorrow with Etiquette. If you have any questions you would like to have answered, make sure to email me or leave a comment!

Upcoming Bridal Events

Hello Brides! I have been super busy gearing up for the great things to come! I am super excited about them all and will let you in on the details soon! I want to remind you of some upcoming bridal events:

When: Saturday October 11th, 2009 12:oo-5:00 pm
What: Kiss the Brides Expo
Where: Clarion Inn in Bentonville, AR
Price: $10

When: Tuesday October 20th, 2009
What: Wedding Planner Showcase
Where: University of Arkansas Fayetteville, AR

When: Sunday November 1st, 2009
What: Morning News Bridal Show
Where: Holiday Inn Convention Center in Springdale, AR

Please contact me to schedule a free consultation to discuss your upcoming wedding or event needs!