A Party to Perfection

What they're saying

2012-01-18T09:00:00.000-06:00

I received this wonderful email from Jackie and Bobby! It is wonderful to work with such wonderful clients who you end up calling your friends!!

My husband and I had the privilege of working with Shannon Langston in
planning our wedding. As Bobby and I are both full time students and live about
10 hours away from Fayetteville, AR where our wedding was taking place, Shannon
was invaluable in coordinating and facilitating our wedding plans. She worked
closely with my mother and consolidated detailed lists for me when my opinion
was needed for decisions. She was incredibly patient with the frequently delayed
responses that I sent when school was overwhelming and never made me feel
pressured or stressed :) . She really saw the vision I had for my wedding and
helped refine the ideas in my head so that they could be made into reality
through the bouquets, rental pieces, table linens and overall flow for the
reception. Her experience and contacts with vendors in the area was extremely
valuable as the majority of our planning was accomplished in the last 3 months
before the wedding. She kept us organized and on track and really helped lift
some of the burden of planning from my mother. The day of the wedding
came and Shannon was everywhere making sure everything went smoothly so that we
could just enjoy our day. My mother got to simply enjoy being the mother of the
bride and I got to spend that special time with her while Shannon managed the
details. Her positive and calming presence meant a great deal to me before the
ceremony as I was suddenly overcome by emotion before my walk down the aisle :)
Shannon was a tremendous help during the reception where she helped us stay on
track to do everything we planned to do. She made us plates for our sweetheart
table so that we could visit with family, guided us to the cake table at the
right time for toasts and cutting the cake, let us know when it was time to
change into our Lao outfits for our special dances and overall just made sure
that everything went as we'd planned. I absolutely cannot thank her enough for
all of the time and effort she put into making our wedding more than we even
hoped for. Thank you Shannon! Bobby and I will always treasure the wonderful day
you helped create for us.

Real Wedding: Jackie and Bobby

2012-01-11T19:46:00.022-06:00

I often tell the story of my trip to London in 2000 and how small the world truly is and that the degrees of separation are less than 3 in my world. Here's the story: I was outside the Queen's Theatre at 2:00am after seeing "Phantom of the Opera" where I ran into someone I knew from the University of Arkansas some 3,000+ miles away! What are the chances of that and how does this story relate to Jackie and Bobby?!

While in our initial consultation, Jackie mentioned that she was currently living in San Antonio, Texas finishing her Doctorate in Physical Therapy. I mentioned that my son was currently in therapy while we were meeting to find out that her mother is a therapist at the same clinic! I loved Jackie's sweet spirit and her mother as well, so I'm so glad they agreed to let me share in their family's very special day!

There were hundreds of wonderful photos from their wedding, but I wanted to show you some of my favorites!

These are the emotions I never get to see!

Her beautiful bouquet of cream roses and calla lillies wrapped in white lace and a crystal brooch.

This guest book touched my heart! The guests were asked to sign Jackie and Bobby's Family Bible or sign by their favorite verse in the bible!

The reception was lit with over 150 candles for a very intimate glow.

I love the arieal view of the tables that were taken by the photographer, also the brides brother-in-law!

The couple did a wonderul job of bringing together both of their cultures as the dinner began with a Laotian prayer by the groom's grandmother.

The couple did a costume change during the reception and re-entered in Lao dress and then got the entire crowd involved!

A family friend of the groom's carved out these incredible watermelons and created the gorgeous fruit display! Incredible!!

These are priceless memories! The flower girl (also the bride's niece) had danced her heart out!

The guests were treated to a boutiful candy buffet to keep them fueled for hours of dancing!

Vendors:

Reception Venur-Fayetteville Town Center

Florist-Jules Design

DJ-Groove Productions

Bartending-Premiere Bartendening

Caterers-Noodles Italian Kitchen and Twin Kitchens

Cakes-Rick's Bakery

Photographer-Felix (Bride's brother-in-law)

Rentals-Festivities

(Blogger won't let me link to these vendors, but they did a wonderful job on this wedding!)

Defining the terms: Wedding Planner and day-of-coordinator

2012-01-10T10:00:00.000-06:00

Most wedding planners (including myself) are asked this question: What's the difference between a wedding planner and a day-of-coordinator?

The Winter 2012 issue of Martha Stewart Weddings directly answered this question!

Acutally, they're all planners. but their roles change depending on what you hire them for. If you want help with pretty much everything-from setting a budget to sourcing favors-this is considered full-service planning. You'll need to bring someone on months in advance, and they'll work with you all the way up to the big day, which they'll spend finalizing last-minute details and troubleshooting unexpected problems.

If you'd like to handle most things yourself (DIY bride), but want someone to setp in when the date draws close, most planners also provide day-of services. In this situation, theyll come onboard a few weeks early. First, they'll wrap her head around the plans you've already made and create an itinerary for the day. Then, they'll become the point person for your vendors. Day-of, they'll be on-site to make sure people and objects are where they need to be.

*Did you know that I offer both services, but specialize in day-of coordination?!

2012 Arkansas Razorback Football Schedule

2012-01-09T12:13:00.011-06:00

Well, the Hogs wrapped up a great year on January 6th as they beat Kansas State in the Cotton Bowl!! We know how serious football is here in the south and we definitely don't want your guestlist to dwindle by scheduling your wedding on a home Razorback game! (I've seen it happen all too often!)

2012 Arkansas Razorbacks Schedule (1 game to be added)

Sept. 1 Jacksonville State Home

Sept. 8 Louisiana-Monroe Home

Sept. 15 Alabama Home

Sept. 22 *Potential Home/Away Game or Open Date (TBD)

Sept. 29 vs. Texas A&M# TBD

Oct. 6 at Auburn Auburn, Ala.

Oct. 13 Kentucky Home

Oct. 20 * Potential Home/Away Game or Open Date (TBD)

Oct. 27 Ole Miss Home

Nov. 3 Tulsa Home Nov. 10 at South Carolina Columbia, S.C.

Nov. 17 at Mississippi State Starkville, Miss.

Nov. 24 LSU Home

* Additional non-conference game will be added on Sept. 22 or Oct. 20. Other date will be open date. # Texas A&M will be the home team at site to be determined

What they're saying

2011-12-02T10:00:00.000-06:00

I always enjoy working with my brides to make their weddings as perfect as they imagined AND stress free! I think my favorite part is being able to share in their special and most memorable day so far! Here is what a recent bride had to say:

“Shannon did a great job coordinating our wedding!  During the planning process,  she was very easy to work with and was quick to respond to any questions or  concerns we had.  Shannon provided a number of services for us, including  creating a floor plan and timeline for the reception, organizing the rehearsal,  orchestrating the ceremony, and coordinating with the vendors and bridal party  to make sure every detail was taken care of.   Shannon was there on our wedding  day to make sure that everything ran smoothly which allowed our parents and us  to be able to fully enjoy the celebration. She is great at her job, and we  highly recommend her!”

Trend Alert: Color Blocking

2011-12-01T09:49:00.004-06:00

I've said it before, but it bears repeating: The wedding industry follows trends in the fashion industry. There is a new trend that hit the runways earlier this year that is "popping" up in weddings across the United States. So what is this trend? It's color blocking. I had to do some research myself, but here is what I found via Kathy Romero. Your guests will definitely be in an awakened state as they take in all of these colors!

What is Color Blocking? It is a combination of colors that support and compliment one other (BizChick Blog). This style technique may be intimidating for some but with a few good tips and dash of bravery you will be color bold in no time! It’s a playful trend that doesn’t seem to be going away any time soon.

There are two important concepts in color pairings, the analogous and the complimentary colors. Analogous colors are three colors lined up next to one another on the color wheel that pair well together such as red, orange, and yellow. Complimentary colors are those opposite to one another such as yellow and purple. Whether you’re choosing blocks of colors that compliment or analogous colors that support both cater to the prominent trend of color blocking.(For more on Color Blocking see BizChick Blog and The Curvy Fashionista)

Using this trend for a wedding can be fabulous if you choose your colors wisely and edit down. Pick 2-3 blocks of colors that pair well together according to the color wheel. You don’t need to use the blocking everywhere, use it in doses. Every dash of color counts! Use it to make a statement at the escort card table, in your flower arrangements, on your invitations, and it never hurts to add a pop of color with your shoes. Ignite your senses and that of your guests with just enough color to be swooned not overwhelmed.

Real Wedding: Rachel and Tony

2011-11-30T10:45:00.009-06:00

I knew that when I first met Rachel she had incredible vision and knew exactly what she wanted to incorporate into her wedding. Look at the result of months of searching, spray painting, crafting, and pounds and pounds of pumpkins!

(These were all taken from my iPhone, but the photos from Yocum Photography will be gorgeous!)

Rachel wanted something fun for the guests to do during the reception, so I created these fun Mad Libs for the guests. I hope they enjoyed reading them when they came home from their honeymoon!

The ceremony took place at 6:00 pm, just moments before dusk. Everything was gorgeous as it was lit by hundreds of candles!

The steps at Old Main lawn were covered and stacked with pie and Cinderella pumpkins and lit by lanterns and mason jars wrapped in burlap and grapevine.

A full table was important to Rachel so they were covered with burlap and filled with rustic lanterns, cut logs, mini pumpkins, photos and more!

An outdoor fall wedding with a pumpkin theme calls for this kind of decor! Roses, spray roses, seeded eucalyptus, celosia, button mums, hypericum berries and more fill these large Jack-o-lanterns.

We rented two actual wine making barrels from a functioning winery and placed an old door on top as our cake table.

The cake stand itself was an ingenious idea from Jennifer at Kruton's Catering. We couldn't help but incorporate it! Have you ever seen a cake on top of a Cinderella pumpkin?! :)

The bride's cake was four separate flavors of cake, filling and icing. Incredible flavors!

There were so many more fun details, but I'll wait for the professional photos before I share!

Vendors:

Flowers: Jules Design

Cake: Antoinette's Cakes and Catering

Rentals: Eventures

Photographer: Yocum Photography

Ice Cream bar: Maggie Moo's in Fayetteville

Venue: Old Main

Tent: AAA Tents and Events

DJ: Brock Entertainment

Caterer: Rolling Pin Cafe

Wedding Emergency Kit

2011-08-20T10:00:00.000-05:00

It's finally your wedding day! While everything at the ceremony and reception are being taken care of by the professionals, don't forget to make sure you are are being taken care of too by including these essentials in your wedding emergency kit!

Emergency
Band-aids for boo-boos
Mole skin works great to guard feet against blisters
Hand Cream
Nail File
Fashion tape to keep your clothes in place
Nail polish remover
Picture Perfect details
Soft rice paper to powder your beautiful face
Hairspray
Bobby pins (these are always needed)
touch up lip gloss in your wedding day color
Disposable razors in case you missed a spot
Drama
Tissues to dry your joyful tears or a hanker-chief
Gentle eye drops
Makeup remover
Close Encounters
breath fresheners for close encounters
toothpaste and a toothbrush (or substitute with whips)
mouthwash
floss (you never know!)
Don't leave home without
Advil® for splitting headache relief
sewing kit with pre-threaded needles
hand sanitizer
tampons (mother nature can be cruel!)
Calming
Cushions for your dancing feet
Pepcid Complete® to quiet your butterflies
Details
Keep-your-cool with Dove® deodorant
Nail polish for touch-ups and to stop stocking runs
Static Guard®
Q-tips in case you need to touch up makeup mishaps
Better be prepared
Scissors to snip unruly threads
Krazy Glue®
Lint sheets
white chalk in case someone steps on your dress before pictures
For the girls
Pucker up
Clear straws to sip champagne without smudging your lipstick
Clear lip gloss

You can also purchase all of these necessities in one Mojuba bag. Bonus, you can purchase one for your groom too!

Wedding Exits

2011-08-19T09:42:00.007-05:00

You have spent months or even years planning your wedding and have even covered the details down to the color and design on the cocktail napkins. In all of the details, don't forget to plan your grande exit as Mr. and Mrs. at the end of the ceremony or as you and your new hubby leave your guests for the night.

The most important part of deciding what type of exit you would like to have is to ask your event venue what they allow! Some event venues forbid sparklers if alcohol will be present, others forbid real rose petals inside, while others forbid balloons and bubbles. You definitely don't want to purchase all of the exit goodies to find out they won't be allowed and be left without that great photo op!

A rose petal canon will leave you with a romantic feeling

Gorgeous drama as your guests release hundreds of lit lanterns into the night sky!

Create a fun glow with sparklers (definitely make sure children are supervised.)

Your guests could unravel rolls of colored streamers (bonus if they coordinate with your wedding colors.)

A romantic exit as your guests wave ribbon wands (this makes me think of royalty.)

Guests could toss cones filled with confetti for a colorful and plentiful send off.

Breaking down the lingo

2011-08-02T11:19:00.006-05:00

We have all ran into the issue of receiving an invitation with "Black Tie" or "Black Tie Optional," and are stuck wondering "What's does that mean?" So I will break down the lingo for you either as a guest or if you are bride and deciding on how formal you would like your wedding guests to dress for your big day!

White Tie:

Men Wear tuxedos, long black jackets with tails, white vests, and bow ties. Think: long gloves with formal, full-length ball gowns.

Black Tie:

Men wear tuxedos, bow ties, and cummerbunds, and the women wear cocktail dresses or long gowns. You could wear a ball gown or a full A-line dress with beading and embroidery.

Black Tie Optional:

Men can wear a tuxedo or dark suit and tie. Women should wear long dresses, dressy suits, or a formal cocktail-length dresses. You can go with a simple ball gown or A-line or with an embellished sheath.

Semiformal:

For evening, darker hues are apropos, but in the daytime, opt for lighter colors and fabrics. The men war suits and ties, and the women wear cocktail dresses or dressy skirts and tops. you should skip the ballgown. I typical think of "Sunday Best."

Casual:

The men might wear seersucker suits or another light-material jacket with khakis. The women wear sundresses or skirts and tops. Light fabrics, like chiffon and cotton, are appropriate for your dress. This might be what you wear to a casual church service or a nice dinner out with your man.

Wedding Guest Complaints

2011-06-24T09:30:00.000-05:00

With ALL of the hours you spend making sure your wedding is perfect, I"m going to offer some insights into some of the complaints wedding guests could have about your "perfect" day.

1) Bad Timing-Long pauses between the ceremony and reception are generally a bummer. If you cannot book the ballroom immediately following the ceremony, arrange for cocktails and hors d'oeuvres at an adjacent space.

2) Cash Bars-Sorry, a cash bar is never an acceptable money-saving solution. Swallow that expensive bill by thinking about this: you would never ask guests to pay for a cocktail in your own home; your wedding should be the same. *Offer a limited open bar with beer and wine or a signature cocktail to keep costs low.

3) Stranded Dates- Don't create a painful experience for your attendant's dates. Speed up the marathon photo sessions and seat dates together with the wedding party at the reception.

4) Stranded Guests-If your wedding reception and ceremony locations are far apart or far from accommodations, you should provide guest transportation. Besides the obvious safety concerns of drinking and driving, your guests should remember what a lovely time they had at your wedding-not what a pain it was to get there.

5) Unaccommodating Accommodations-Failing to provide information for convenient and affordable accommodations for long distance guests never goes over well. Don't force guests to be their own travel agents, and don't secure the only room block at a 5 star hotel. Make sure to block off rooms at several hotels at different price points.

6) Silent or Tardy Dinner Bill-If your four hour reception falls during meal time, understand that your guests will be expecting just that- a meal. And they'll expect that meal during normal lunch or dinner hours. If you will be running late due to pictures, think of feeding your guests before you arrive to keep them happy!

7) Ungracious Hosts-Failing to acknowledge any gift or thoughtful gesture with hand-written, personalized thank you notes is always an etiquette faux pas and never a breech that will go unnoticed. I can still name the couples who did not send a written thank you note!

8) Bar-If you choose to have an open bar at our reception, make sure you have adequate staff. I recommend 1 bartender for ever 75 guests. Make sure that the bar is stocked and everyone is ready to go as the first guest arrives. Nothing will kill the party mood like waiting in line for 20 minutes for a drink!

9) Room- Make sure your venue isn't too crowded and there are plenty of places for your guests to sit or place their drinks. Your guests will not enjoy being bumped into while they're holding a plate and drink.

10) Temperature-If your ceremony is outside and in full sun offer guests umbrellas, customized water bottles, and programs that double as a fan. It's always nice to have shawls available for ladies who might get cold in your ceremony or reception venue. You can even have these match your theme or monogrammed.

11) Food-Your guests are wanting to be "wowed" at your wedding. Wow them with food! Believe it or not, some guests actually complain if the cocktail hour offers too much food! Tease your guests with the cocktail hour of what lies ahead for dinner! Put effort into your menu selection (it can be ethnic foods to pay tribute to your heritage, a childhood favorite, family recipes and so on.) Work with your caterer or venue to see how they will be serving the guests. If it is a plated meal, will they serve each table at once or each dish (all chicken first, all beef next, etc? ) Guests want flavor, the food to be at the expected temperature, and "not your average chicken dinner."

12) Children-If you are going to have children at your wedding offer them their own table filled with goodies (playdough, coloring books, craft projects, beading, etc.) Offer them goody bags to play with at their table if they are young and need to be with supervisors. You can hire someone to watch children in the venue while they play, watch movies and even eat a pizza. Of course, being the gracious host you are, have arranged the details and ordered the pizzas! :)

Naked Wedding Cakes

2011-06-23T21:58:00.004-05:00

I have to say that I'm absolutely in love with these "naked cakes!" However, I will tell you that if you google "naked cakes" you will get more than you bargained for! Regardless, these are making headlines fast. These cakes are budget friendly, eye catching and perfect if you are a DIY bride (if it's not perfect, no one will notice!)

You can garnish your cake with flowers

(image from cassandradyane)

(image from Martha Stewart)

(Image from Bridal Bar)

This was Hillary Duff's wedding cake

(Seriously cannot remember where this cake image is from, but it's everywhere)

I"m actually going to make this last cake in "Funfetti" for my son, niece and nephew for July 4th! I"ll let you know how it goes!

Enjoy!

So, who does pay for what?

2011-05-19T12:02:00.003-05:00

While you were deciding on your wedding budget, you might have had the discussion with your parents and soon-to-be inlaws about who is able and willing to pay for what for your wedding. While the bride's family pays-for-it-all scenario may still hold true, these days bill-paying tends to be more equitably shared among parents and the couple. Here is a quick rundown of who's more likely to pay for what today:

Pre-Wedding Parties
Traditional:
The bride's family covers the first engagement party (the groom's side can throw one of its own); his side pays for the rehearsal dinner.

Modern:
Each family may throw an engagement party (the bride's family can host the first one, if it likes); anyone can host the rehearsal dinner-even an aunt.

Stationery
Traditional:
The bride's family pays fore very invitation, program, and place card-and even the stamps.

Modern:
The couple can pick up the tab, maybe choosing to DIY the save-the-dates or invites to save money.

Ceremony
Traditional:
The bride's parents take care of the music, venue fee, and aisle runner. The groom covers the marriage license and the officiant's fee.

Modern:
If the wedding is being performed at one family's house of worship,, that family covers the ceremony costs. Otherwise, anyone can pay.

Flowers
Traditional:
The bride's family pays for the big-ticket items like centerpieces. The groom's side springs for the bride's bouquet, boutonnieres, and corsages.

Modern:
All the flowers are paid for together, by the bride's or groom's side, or the couple themselves.

Photo/Video
Traditional:
The bride's family pays to document the occasion.

Modern:
One family pays for the photos for the video Or the couple hire the photog, and the families each buy their own prints and albums.

Reception
Traditional:
You guessed it: The bride's family picks up the entire tab-food drink, decor, and music.

Modern:
The groom's family covers specifics like liquor or music; the bride's family pays for the rest. Better: Everyone pitches in according to what they can do.

So, let's hope everyone is on the same page and comfortable so you can start planning!

How to establish your wedding budget

2011-05-11T10:18:00.004-05:00

You're finally engaged and excited to share the news with everyone! I don't blame you because this is such an exciting time in your lives. In all of the excitement and joys of deciding what type of wedding you would like, the very first thing you and your finance need to establish is your wedding budget.

You will both need to sit down with both sets of parents and decide who is willing and able to pay for what and how much they are willing to allocate to your wedding. There are the traditional roles parents play when it comes to paying for wedding items, but I"ll blog more on that topic later this week! You and your fiance can also decide how much you are willing to allocate to your wedding.

In addition to seeing who will contribute, how much and to which aspects of the wedding (your parents will pay for the ceremony and reception venue while your soon-to-be hubby's parents want to contribute to the food and alcohol,) you can also use this formula:

(# of months you have before the wedding) X (amount you can put aside each month) X (your parents' contribution and any other savings) - (5 percent (set aside for cost overruns))= Your budget!

So, let's say that you are 13 months from your wedding date, you are able to set aside $300 each month ($3900), your parents are going to contribute $15,000, and you allot for cost overruns. Your wedding budget would be roughly around $17,900.

You need to make sure everyone is comfortable with what they are able and willing to contribute. This will definitely keep things from feeling awkward and keep things in perspective as you begin your planning process.

Inspired by color: Wedding Dresses

2011-04-28T09:24:00.007-05:00

White wedding dresses are still one tradition many brides stick to, colored dresses started hitting the runways in late 2010 and making quite the impression. Reese Witherspoon tied the knot in March wearing a blush gown that was custom made by one of my favorite designers, Monique Lhullier.

I just love the soft colors of these blush pink and peach dresses! Then you add ruffles and appliques and I"m sold!

I just love the texture and color of these dresses!

You would definitely make an entrance into the reception wearing this:

A very unexpected color, yet still soft and feminine:

How about your something blue?!

What they're saying

2011-04-14T12:26:00.003-05:00

I had the great pleasure of working with Lindsey and Tanner on their March wedding. I've said it before, but what a wonderful and fun couple!! I received this from Lindsey: "I could not have asked for a better wedding planner for my big day then Shannon with A Party to Perfection. Whether it was helping me with a layout of my programs, organizing the breakdown of the reception, or offering to give me the back of her earring due to my wedding earrings not staying on, she truly is AWESOME at what she does and makes a bride feel so special and less stressed. :-) I loved every minute of our special day and she was right there to help me get through it and make sure everything I wanted was taken care of. Thanks so much for everything and making our wedding day such a breeze!" Of course, you're only as good as the vendors you work with and Lindsey picked great vendors for her fun and oh-so-her wedding day: Catering: Kruton's Catering Photo booth and lightning: Dancenhance Entertainment DJ: Brock Entertainment Florist: Candy Bouquet #1445 featuring Designs by Suzanna Photography: Blair Photography

2011 Trends: Rainbow

2011-04-08T10:48:00.014-05:00

If you are like me, you may never think of creating or incorporating a Rainbow theme into your wedding. Images of Rainbow Bright just doesn't give me that "wedding" feeling!

However, trends and ideas can always be tweaked to your every whim!

While you do not necessarily have to dress your besties in rainbow dresses, per se, you can definitely dress them in a rainbow monochromatic scheme (think dark pink to light pink, dark blue to light blue.etc.)

Or, you can dress them in complimentary hues that cover the colors of the rainbow Delight your guests' senses both visually and tastefully with a rainbow inspired cake

How fun would this be to dig into as a guest?!

Rainbow themed signature drinks, dessert buffets, bow ties (they're making their comback!) and who doesn't want to add that special touch with fabulously colored shoes?!

Or you can have each bridesmaid wear a different color shoe to "pop" in a less obvious rainbow theme.

These are meant to mimic the French Macaroons and could be fitting as decor

Love the look of these colorfl Macaroons

I don't know if I could choose just one!

Photographs Top to bottom:

peellephotography.com

ohhowposh.com

kellyoshirevents.com

Arkansas Marriage License

2011-04-07T10:54:00.003-05:00

While you are staying plenty busy with all of the wedding planning details, the most important thing to do is to remember to get your marriage license! You do want to make the months and months of planning official, right?! In the state of Arkansas, you can obtain your marriage license within the 30 day period prior to your wedding date. Although I highly recommend getting it early, you can even obtain it the day of your wedding. The main details: You and your soon-to-be husband both have to be present You need to bring state issued identification (birth certificate, military I.D., Passport, etc.) $59-Cash only!! You can obtain your license at the County Clerk's office To find out where to register within the state of Arkansas or more details, check out the formal details here!

Spring Blooms

2011-03-29T09:53:00.016-05:00

We are officially into Spring in the south! While the weather has taken a turn and it still feels like winter, these gorgeous blooms will assure us all that Spring will be here in the south very soon! I love spring blooms and these are sure to be show stoppers in your bouquets and centerpieces!

Anemones

These are easy to spot with their black centers. In spring, these typically come in white, pink, purple and red. These are certain to stand out especially, against a white

dress!

http://www.blogger.com/www.theknot.com

http://www.coolflowerpics.com/

Tulips

French tulips are ideal for large arrangements, while Dutch tulips work great in your bridal bouquets. Their availability begins in November but peak in early spring (they are beginning to sprout up across Northwest Arkansas now) and they come in any wedding worthy color!

I love the beauty and elegance of the peach French Tulips!

Ranunculus

Ranunculus is my second favorite wedding flower! We will cover my first one in just a bit. :-) I love the fullness, texture and dimension that a Ranunculus has to offer. They are available in an array of colors too, most notably pink, orange and yellow. However, I chose to highlight the beauty and softness of the light pink and white!

http://www.blogger.com/www.jacinandpat.blogspot.com http://www.theknot.com/

Peony

We now come to my favorite wedding flower and quite possibly, the most striking and lucious flower, the peony. While the peony is breathtaking in its appearance and smell, it also is on your wedding budget! But, every bride needs a splurge somewhere, right?

This deep pink will add beautiful drama to your wedding.

A beautiful elegance with white and light pink.

Wow your guests with this soft pink.

Other bouquet worthy spring blooms:

Cherry Blossoms

Hyacinth

Daffodils

Sweet Peas

Gerberas

Lily of the Valley

http://www.theknot.com/

http://www.jacinandpat.blogspot.com/

Rescue 911: When having a wedding coordinator really pays!

2011-03-23T13:00:00.000-05:00

One of my wonderful brides called me one afternoon while I was on lunch. I almost let it go to voicemail since I was on a lunch date, but felt that I needed to answer that particular call. I picked up and my sweet bride was in tears!

She was just two weeks out from her wedding and had contacted her hired string quartet to follow up after a week or so of no responses to her emails or voicemails. The conversation did not end well and the string quartet bailed on my bride, leaving her extremely tearful and emotional. You can imagine, right?! The "momma bird" in me immediately went to assure my sweet bride that she would get her deposit back and that we would also secure another string quartet just two weeks out from her wedding.

I made one phone call and had secured a wonderful string quartet. Thankfully, they were availalbe for her wedding day!

An added bonus of hiring a wedding coordinator is having access to our contacts! I try very hard to make sure that I have the best possible list of vendors to work with any budget, style and client. What was turning out to be a very emotional and stressful situation for my bride was quickly resolved and even allowed her more customization in her music selections for her ceremony! What a bonus!

New Ad

2011-03-23T10:00:00.001-05:00

My new ad with MediaSquib in Northwest Arkansas! You can find my ad at Shotz on Dickson Street, Jose's in Springdale, La Huerta in Fayetteville, and Western Sizzlin in Springdale!

Image with car vendor credits:

Flowers by Jules Design

Photography by Photo Love

Image with Bride and Groom vendor credits:

Flowers by Jules Design

Photography by Beaty Photography

Real Wedding: Anna and Matt

2011-03-23T09:00:00.000-05:00

I had the privilege of doing the "Day of" Coordination for a fun, sweet and loving couple last weekend and wanted to share the details of their beautiful wedding! Anna did a wonderful job working with her vendors to get the look she wanted!

Their ring pillow was custom made for them.

They held both the ceremony and reception at the Fayetteville Town Center. Anna had Eventures drape 1/3 of the room for the ceremony from ceiling to floor in white panels. The panels were later tied back with black ribbon to allow the guests to move into the reception area.

The aisle runner was lined with black rose petals to tie their black,white and silver theme together.

Two large Crystal Trees were set on their ceremony stage to give extra heighth to the room. These were up-lit to add a warm glow and Flora adorned the crystal trees with white Gardenias. The room smelt incredibly romantic!

Large crystal chandeliers and lanters were suspended from the ceilings that were also draped in the same white panels that draped the ceremony.

All of the guest's tables were showcased with large trumpet vases filled with baby's breath. Truly a focal point!

Groove Productions got them started with their first dance as husband and wife! They are such a wonderful couple!

This is one of my favorite cake table linens; such texture and drama.

A beautiful and clean-lined cake from Shelby Lynn's sat at top the gorgeous cake linen. The four tier wedding cake was adorned with white sugary flowers accented with black feathers and actual black ribbon threaded on the cake.

Anna wanted to provide extra chic seating by bringing in this leather lounge that was cornered with four chandeliers.

The large arrangement that greeted their guests to the ceremony. Black baskets held their ceremony programs that were adorned with origami flowers.

I look forward to the pictures from Jeremy Cavness, that truly reflects

the beauty of their wedding and what a wonderful job Anna did!

All vendors involved in this beautiful wedding:

Eventures

Fayetteville Town Center

Kruton's Catering

Flora

Dynasty (provided their get away black strech hummer limousine)

Jeremy Cavness (also provided the photobooth)

Shelby Lynn's Cake Shoppe

Groove Productions

My new obsession: Maggie Austin Cakes

2011-03-11T10:36:00.004-06:00

I am simply obsessed with Maggie Austin Cakes! She is located in Washington D.C. metro area and offers a "fresh interpretation of cake and cookie design...her designs display symmetry, elegance, and sophistication with the subtle yet unmistakable mark of houte couture." This last sentence explains why I love her, but her portfolio also speaks for itself:

I love the simple anemone and roses

Gorgeous and feminine "Rose Frill" cake

Perfect for a spring wedding with the "Hydrange and Frill"

This "Magnolia and Frill" cake will look gorgeous anywhere, but especially wonderful in the South!

Probably my favorite, the "Peony Frill." Peony is my ultimate favorite flower, add some frill and you have yourself an outstanding cake!

2011 Trends: Flip Photobooths

2011-03-10T11:58:00.003-06:00

We have seen what a great and fun hit the photobooths have been at weddings, now look at the flip photobooths! Your guests have 6-7 seconds to move about in front of the camera and when they are finished they get a wonderful flip photobook. You can customize the cover with your names and wedding date! You can even have a copy of each guests' time in the booth for you to look at on your honeymoon! :-)

Stop-motion Save the Date

2011-03-08T10:50:00.003-06:00

I saw this come across Style Me Pretty's facebook page and thought these were so unique. What's even more amazing is that Mallory Berry is right here in Fayetteville, Arkansas! While these look like a video production, you'll be surprised to find out how she does this.

Mallory states on her website that each video is comprised solely of hundreds of still photographs taken in succession-NOT video clips. What a unique way to announce your engagement, highlight your wedding or other monumental event in your life!

Pop vs. Bang

2011-02-04T14:08:00.008-06:00

I'm a little behind on my reading due to holidays and lately, all of the snow in Northwest Arkansas. I finally sat down to read my November 2010 issue of Brides Magazine! How sad. I did come across a small article that caught my attention and thought I'd share it with you!

How to Spend Your Money

Some wedding upgrades create a little excitement (POP!); others create a lot (BANG!).

Take a look:

POP: Uplights under the cocktail tables

BANG: Strings of paper lanterns

POP: Rose petals on the hors d'oeuvres trays

BANG: Rose petals on the tables

POP: Monogrammed hand towels in the bathrooms

BANG: Monogrammed cocktail napkins

Photo courtesy of The Art of the Occasion

POP: Ice cubes with frozen flower buds

BANG: An ice sculpture as decor

Photo courtesy of The Knot

POP: Customized table confetti

BANG: Customized table linens

POP: Etched-glass votives

BANG: A forest of pillar candles

Photo courtesy of The Knot

Real Wedding: Jennifer & Ben

2011-01-18T14:14:00.018-06:00

I met Jennifer and Ben at the Premier Bridal show in 2010 and we immediately began planning their January 2011 wedding. Jennifer and Ben knew that they wanted soft colors, elegant and natural decor, and wanted the flowers and food to steal the show!

The ring bearer made his way down the aisle with this natural wooden ring "pillow."

The bride's father cut a tree down from their property to create all of the wooden accents. He then carved the bride and groom's initials into these gorgeous Sycamore stumps.

Flora in Fayetteville , with the help of the bride's brother, created the stunning flowers filled with cream Ranunculus, peach English roses, blue berries, and gorgeous greenery that were all flown in to create the elegant bouquets wrapped in ivory ribbon and pearl pins.

There two table concepts were all designed by the bride's very talented brother: The tall vilsner vases with large floral centerpieces lined all of the exterior tables to add height and color.

The centerpieces were lit from below by hallowed out tree rounds (all created by the bride's father) filled with votives. The table was then covered in a clean white "snow" that was even cool to the touch! The table was sat with clear glass chargers and wooden "cake" name card holders.

The second table concept lined all of the interior tables to give a clean line to the room. They consisted of large wide floral centerpieces set atop large round wooden rounds (made by the bride's father) and were also spread with the clean white snow. Candles wrapped in white and salmon "feathered" ribbon were surrounded by frosted glass chargers. The name cards were placed on top of the linen napkins that were tied with coordinating fabric napkin rings.

Jennifer and Ben wanted to keep with their cream, salmon and navy color scheme and chose edible jams as their favors.

Guests were able to choose from Peach Preserves, Peach Sauce or Peach Butter to take home with them!

The head table was beautifully lined with 24 feet of the same gorgeous flowers that were used in the bride's bouquet and centerpieces.

The bridal party at the head table each received round wood chargers that we topped with a wooden "cake" name card. In front of each person's name card was fashioned with a white orchid.

The wedding ceremony took place at Mildred B. Cooper chapel in Bella Vista. The reception was a brunch reception at Cedaridge Event Center in Centerton. Cedaridge was the perfect venue for the elegant "woodsy" theme the bride and groom were wanting.

The menu was created by Golden Corral in Rogers and involved action stations like a Belgium waffle bar, Eggs Benedict, apple sausage, salmon, compotes and various fruit and cheese varieties.

Mimosas were the drink of choice too!

Chocolate covered strawberries are always quick to disappear!

Jennifer's favorite bakery, Carbajal bakery in Bentonville, created the wedding cake. Jennifer and Ben wanted a simple and clean-lined cake. The cake was placed on top of the custom made circular wood cake stand (made by the bride's father.) Coconut was sprinkled around the cake for a wonderful scent and added texture.

The string quartet greeted guests as they entered the reception venue as they played songs like "Heard it through the grape vine", "Lady Madonna" and Kings of Leon.

The Maid of Honor treated the bride and groom to a surprise song! She sang a tribute to Train as she took "Soul Sister" and retold memories of she and Jennifer and retitled it "Hey, Jennifer!" The Maid of Honor even received a standing ovation after she was finished.

Mr. and Mrs. Ben Bricker headed to Fayetteville in style in the white Escalade limo from Dynasty Transportation.

I can't wait to see the fabulous photos from Benfield Photography!

2011 Razorback Football Schedule

2011-01-18T10:29:00.003-06:00

We love our football in the south! I can honestly say that all of my past brides, or atleast their fathers and grooms, have been concerned with their wedding day falling on a Hog football game!

Here is the 2011 Football schedule to keep in mind when deciding on that "perfect" day!

September 3rd, Missouri State
September 9th, New Mexico (Little Rock)
September 17th, Troy
September 24th, at Alabama
October 1st, Texas A&M (Arlington, TX)
October 8th, Auburn
October 15th, Open
October 22nd at Ole Miss
October 29th, at Vanderbilt
November 5th, South Carolina
November 12th Tennessee
November 19th Mississippi State (Little Rock)
November 25th at LSU (CBS), 1:30 p.m. CT

Reception Planning 101: Table Assignment

2011-01-06T11:37:00.000-06:00

If you plan to have any kind of assigned seating at your reception, you might want to refer to yesterday's post to help get you started.

The January 2011 issue of Martha Stewart Weddings gives helpful advice on how to save time when assigning your guests to tables.

You can place round circles on construction paper or card stock and use the thin strip sticky notes. Write your guests' names on the sticky strips and start placing them at tables. If you need to make a change, simply pick up the sticky note and place them at a new table.

You can then create a final "master" sheet when you have it finalized!

Reception Planning 101: Escort cards vs. Place Cards

2011-01-05T10:56:00.008-06:00

There are so many details involved with planning your wedding and the reception is where 50% or more of your budget will be spent. Lots of time and energy are spent deciding on your catering menu, table decor, lighting, DJ and many more!

Many of the brides I work with today still wish to use escort and place card assignments for their guests. This takes a lot of extra energy, but your guests truly do appreciate the effort!

I typically get asked "What's the difference between an escort card and a place card?" Here is an explanation of the difference:

Escort Cards
Escort cards are what your guests pick up during the cocktail hour or as they enter the reception. The cards are arranged in alphabetical order so they are easy for guests to find. The Escort card simply assigns your guests to sit at a specific table. The Escort Card will have your guests' name on it and their table number/name. The name on the escort card should match the formality of your event. If you listed Mr. and Mrs. John Smith on your invitation, this would be listed on the escort card. If your event is less formal you can list Susan Smith and John Smith (Yes, the ladies name is listed first.)

Place Cards
Place cards are typically used at a more formal event. These cards actually "place" your guests at their table. You can have individual escort cards to guide them to their table and their place card at their seat.

Or you can have a large easel, poster board, etc. at the entrace to the reception area to let them know which table they are assigned to. From here, guests will find their table and then find their place card at their assigned seat. This will also follow the formality of your event when listing the names on the card. For your guests who will be bringing a "plus one," it's always best to make a quick phone call or email to find out who they will be bringing so that they too, can feel included in your event.

You can check out a number of websites for escort and place card ideas:
www.theknot.com
www.stylemepretty.com
www.marthastewart.com/weddings
www.oncewed.com
www.brides.com

Enjoy!

Congratulations on your Engagement!

2010-12-29T08:50:00.005-06:00

Congratulations on your engagement! This is an exciting time for you both and I know you're excited to begin planning your dream wedding!

The first thing you should do is decide on a budget! Then, find a knowledgeable Wedding Coordinator who will assist you with your wedding planning.

I offer complimentary initial consultations and have availability in 2011. I look forward to meeting with you and helping to make sure your wedding is "A Party to Perfection."

Please schedule your complimentary consultation today by contacting Shannon at (479) 422-1697 or emailing at Shannon_Langston@cox.net.

2011 Trends: Catering

2010-12-22T09:58:00.003-06:00

November through February is the busiest time for couples to get engaged. These couples are also in luck because all of the 2011 trends are being released so these couples can be first to incorporate them into the wedding theme.

The December/January 2011 issue of Event Solutions magazine asked experts in the hospitality industry for their suggestions and these are some of the trends they saw:

1) Pies for entrees and desserts

Pies will start edging out cupcakes as the "king of dessert" and they will be made with both sweet and savory fillings. Also, individually deep fried pies will be popular (my uncle's favorite!)

2) Mini food

Two bite hot dogs, tacos, burritos, and tiny pot roasts

3) Edible "dirt"

Dried and charred foods that look like dirt and add textures to dishes.

4) Old Italian

Familiar dishes like spaghetti and regional Italian ingredients.

5) Korean Cuisine

2011 will be the year that Korean Cuisine becomes mainstream

6) Down-home Southern cooking

Grits will become an all-purpose starch.Grits and shrimp could be a popular dish (if you're from the south, you already know this to be true!)

www.becomeatopweddingplanner.blog.com

Other observations:

Middle Eastern cuisine like couscous, falafels, hummus, and other traditional ethnic foods (after studying in the Middle East, I would love to see this!)

Deconstructed salads (upscale salad bar for guests to create their own)

Unique serving methods, plating and presentation

A more health conscious approach to event catered food. It's all about offering delicious fresh and innovative healthy and organic foods.

2010 wrap up; A look into my first year of Wedding Coordination

2010-12-20T16:24:00.012-06:00

It's amazing that we are already at the end of 201o! This was a very busy year for me and I want to thank all of my clients, their families, all of the wonderful vendors I was fortunate enough to work with, and my family for supporting me!

I thought I would share with you the valuable things I learned in my first year of wedding coordination! I can honestly say that no amount of studying for my certification, reading bridal blogs and magazines could have prepared me more than actual hands-on experience. Enjoy!

1) Make sure you truly know how much time it takes to be a planner! It is difficult to turn down a client, but sometimes it's better to say "I"m sorry, but my schedule is very busy and I do not think I will be able to devote the necessary time to your wedding that it deserves" then to short change yourself...and your client!

On an average week, I was spending 50 hours a week attending meetings, reading contracts, phone consultations, touring venues, searching websites, attending courses, marketing, etc.
This took me away from my husband and four year old son more than I had anticipated!

2) Work along side a wedding coordinator to get the true "behind the scenes" look into the workings of planning a wedding.

I had my twin sister assist me with an October wedding and she said to me "Wow, I had no idea what all it took to get a bride down the aisle!" You will definitely see months of planning shape up on the wedding day. The "fun" part of a wedding like selecting the dresses, flowers, food and your entertainment are just the facade of a wedding. You have to know the basics in order to make everything come together seamlessly. You need to know how to orchestrate the ceremony rehearsal, work with vendors, work with a nervous bride and groom, manage their families' emotions,handle the "unexpected", and make sure it's legal at the end of the day! Working first hand with a coordinator will definitely make you appreciate the months of planning!

3) You can never say somethings enough! No matter how many weddings I had this year, I always said "Don't forget to bring the rings and marriage license!" I always felt like I was stating the obvious, but I can't tell you how many times those two most important items were left at home!

4) Don't be afraid to speak up with vendors to make sure your clients' visions are carried through! I am the first to step down from a confrontation, but when it comes to making sure my clients get what they are paying for, I'll be the first to defend them. You want the best working relationship with your vendors in hopes of doing business with them many times in the future and having a mutual referral relationship, but they have to understand that you are working for their client too! I was once referred to as the "momma bird" for one of my brides, but I wanted to make sure SHE was happy with her wedding.

5) You are the professional! You have to make sure that no matter what events occur during the planning process or wedding day, you keep your professional appearance and demeanor. You are representing yourself and your company. Your client and vendors will appreciate your professional mannerism in the end.

There are SO many more things I learned in my first year, but these are the most important items I learned! I look forward to the many things I will learn even in my second year of wedding coordination and know that I can only continue to improve and it's not work if you love what you do!

Real Weddings: Jennifer and Ryan

2010-11-09T13:18:00.005-06:00

I finally had time to do a little research and found the photographs taken by Kaitlyn with Photo Love for Jennifer and Ryan's October wedding.

Kaitlyn did a wonderful job capturing the true love, fun, humor, and spirit of Jennifer and Ryan!

Real Weddings: Jennifer and Ryan

2010-11-09T12:31:00.006-06:00

I began working with Jennifer and Ryan on their October wedding in early January. Jennifer knew she wanted to incorporate the beautiful fall colors into their wedding day with a black and white base color scheme. It worked out beautifully!

The ceremony was held at 5:00 on top of Mount Sequoyah in Fayetteville. It was a gorgeous and warm fall day with plenty of sunshine! The bridal party walked down a white carpet aisle runner in their black cocktail dresses and beautiful fall bouquets.

The aisles were marked with metal buckets of yellow gerbera daisies suspended from the pews with black satin ribbon and tied with black and white gingham ribbon; a precious touch!

A cascading arrangement of yellow sunflowers, red roses, orange lilies, white hydrangeas, and greenery sat on top of the podium.

The reception was held at Uncle Gaylord's in Fayetteville. The tables were draped in white pin tuck linens and topped off with glass vases filled with the beautiful fall colors.

The vases were all tied with black satin ribbon and the same black and white gingham ribbon used at the ceremony.

Tables in the patio were also adorned with tall cylinders with floating candles and a floating single yellow sunflower.

These are just a few of my photos and do not do the wedding full justice. I"ll post more once I locate them!

Vendors who helped to make this wedding a beautiful success:

Jules Design

Uncle Gaylords

Harp's Bakery

Eventures

Photo Love Photography

Pleasantries from a Mother of the Bride

2010-10-29T14:21:00.002-05:00

What a joy to receive this in the mail today! It definitely is what makes me love what I do!

"Shannon saved our family! With the overwhelming task of planning our first daughter's wedding in six months. I knew we needed help. After meeting and talking with 2 other wedding planners, and feeling very discouraged, we met with Shannon. What a breath of fresh air!! We left that meeting feeling happy, relieved, and looking forward to the whole process.

Two things in particular about Shannon I really appreciate. Okay, three. Number one: she dresses, speaks, and acts like a professional. Her calm demeanor "unruffled" many feathers between my daughter and me. But don't let that fool you: when pushes come to shove say, with an uncooperative church rep, who was being very rude, Shannon was right there with mama bear instincts for her bride. Number two: She has great design and color sense: If we were stuck wondering which way to go on the reception tables, or the flower budget questions, she had really good ideas and suggestions. She was full of creative ideas, and shared them with us liberally. Number three: She and her assistants made the wedding day a relaxed and happy one for mother and bride! If there were any catastrophes, we didn't hear about them! We can look back to that day and still feel the "we're in good hands" aura that Shannon has. Thank you, Shannon, from the bottom of our hearts."

I definitely had a great team of vendors that helped to make this wedding day a true memory for the bride and her mother. You can check out who they were here.

Real Wedding: Corina and Nick

2010-10-14T20:54:00.011-05:00

I began working with Corina and her mother in June for her October 9, 2010 wedding. Corina is one of the most prepared brides I have ever worked with and made sure every detail was covered perfectly! I think there were obvious challenges with having a reception in a park, in October, but we were fortunate to have beautiful weather, no rain, and great vendors!

Corina's fall colors consisted of ivory, red, and persimmon.

Red lanterns suspended from the tents and were lit at dusk to provide more intimate lighting for the guests.

I was honestly surprised that we accommodated 240 guests under 5 dinning tents, but it worked out beautifully! We utilized the Gazebo for the photo booth and scrapbooking table.

We utilized the Gazebo by placing the photo booth and scrapbooking table underneath.

Just some of the props available to guests.

The new take on the guest book: If you are having a photo booth at your reception, definitely make sure guests can take home a memento, but leave one for you too!

We knew we would be fighting off mother nature with a butter cream cake so we suspended netting from the frame of the tent to help us combat pesky insects.

The bride's father built a custom dance floor and platform for the 22 person head table. The head table was covered in ivory linens and topped with a pin tuck persimmon linen to compliment the color scheme. The head table each had a place setting with a gold charger and water/champagne goblets.

The bride chose to assign guests a seat. Guests were directed to their chairs and greeted with red or bronze chargers topped with the catering menu.

*Note* I was taking these pictures before everything was finalized. The knives and forks are not in their proper location! We also had to place the champagne flutes inside of the water goblets due to the gusts of wind!

There were four round tables that displayed large floral centerpieces (not shown). The four round tables were adjourned by 4 long tables to seat guests.

Square bamboo vases were filled with red carnations and an autumn candle was tucked inside for a beautiful scent and ambiance at dusk.

Tables were clearly marked by large balloons with the table numbers threaded through.

The escort card table was draped in an ivory stripe linen and topped with a red organza overlay. Trays filled with coffee beans drew guests in to find their name and assigned seat.

The cakes! Oh, the smell! The bride's cake was four tiers with french vanilla and spice cake in a butter cream frosting. It was topped with the bride and groom's initials and red Hypericum berries and "flame" Calla Lillie's by Siloam Flowers.

Miles Witt Boyer will have much better photographs than me, but the groom's cake was

traditional chocolate on chocolate and was topped with a Razorback snow globe and running razorbacks lined the bottom tier.

A big thank you to all of the vendors who helped make sure this event was a success!

Eventures, Antoinette's Cakes and Catering, Dancenhance, Miles Witt Boyer, Siloam Flowers. Market Place Grill Catering, and ASAP Rent A Tent.

Real Wedding: Casey White and John Shaw

2010-10-04T16:40:00.006-05:00

John and Casey were married on an extremely hot (96 degrees) and humid (almost 90%), but beautiful summer day!

They were married at Old Main Lawn at the University of Arkansas with a 7:00pm ceremony.

The morning started off with Festivities delivering and arranging 275 white wooden chairs.

Jules Design built this beautiful wedding arch that included yellow Gerber daisies, white Lillies, and green hanging Amaranthus. Julie almost fainted when I asked she and her assistant to move the arch to "center the aisle", but it ended up beautiful!

Shepherd hooks lined the aisle and were adorned with raffia wrapped mason jars filled with white and yellow Gerber daisies.

We created a wide aisle to accommodate their l6 person wedding party as they walked from Inn at Carnall Hall to the ceremony.

John and Casey provided hundreds of labeled water bottles in large galvanized buckets on stands, also adorned with raffia bows, to help their guests enjoy the ceremony.

The bride's mother created and made each ceremony program that also doubled as a fan and shielded the sun.
The reception took place at Pratt Place Barn in Fayetteville. Wreaths of yellow Gerber daisies and green buttom mums hung from the double doors.

The color palette of yellow, moss, and white echoed on the lanterns suspended across the pulley system.

Their signature drink was served in raffia wrapped mason jars; so precious and refreshing!

The centerpieces alternated heights of metal lanterns and vases filled with gerber daisies.

Metal spheres contained a yellow floating candle and white hydrangeas at the bottom.

All a glow!

Shelby Lynn's Cake Shoppe in Springdale created this beautiful cake, which was accented with raffia.

Every groom in Arkansas has to have a Razorback themed groom's cake!

Boom Kinetic also help the party get going and stay going and Catering Unlimited fed the masses with food stations that included a taco fajita bar especially for the bride!

I'm anxiously awaiting the wonderful details captured by Beaty Photography and their photo booth!!

2010 Northwest Arkansas Bridal Show

2010-09-22T09:42:00.004-05:00

The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Fall Bridal Show will take place from 12:00-5 p.m. Sunday, September 26, 2010 at the John Q. Hammons Convention Center.

“We want to make it easy for couples going through the planning process,” said Tabitha Cunningham, promotions manager of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. The show will "bring all types of vendors to the show so couples can literally book their entire wedding in one day instead of driving all over town looking for what they need."

Wedding dresses, photographers, invitations, cakes and florists are just some of the booths you will find at the Bridal Show.

The show also includes a fashion show, contests, prizes and much more for brides.

Admission is $5 in advance and $7 at the door.

The day will also have a "Nearly Newlywed" Game at 2:30 pm. How incredibly fun will this be to watch?!

My tips to brides:

1) Bring pre-printed address labels that include your name, phone number, email address, and wedding date. This will make it super easy for you to register your information with vendors and into any drawings they might have at their booths.

2) Don't bring your big heavy wedding binder to the show with you. You will be collecting all types of information throughout the day and it will get difficult to juggle everything.

3) Bring your most trusted and valued bridal party members with you.

4) A bag to collect business cards, brochures and giveaways from prospective vendors. You will most likely receive one if you register your name at the front door.

5) A pen and paper to take notes of conversations you have with vendors as well as ideas you see that you want to remember. You can also make notes on the vendor listing that you will receive. You can mark down any discounts they are offering and have a quick reference to their contact information.

6) A camera, and not just the one on your phone. Snap pictures of flowers, cakes, dresses and anything else you want to add to your wedding planning folder or organizer.

Here’s what not to bring with you:

1. A wedding organizer/planner.

2. A long list of questions to ask vendors. These are quick meet and greet opportunities, vendors want to talk to as many prospective clients as possible so don’t monopolize someone’s time with tons of question. If you like a vendor call them to schedule a formal appointment.

Sadly, my son is having surgery on Friday and I will not be participating in the bridal show. But, please call for a complimentary consultation so that I can help you get started, help you select and secure from the wonderful vendors at the bridal show, and make sure your wedding is "A Party to Perfection."

Enjoy!

Mad Hatter's Ball for the American Cancer Society

2010-09-03T11:20:00.010-05:00

We have finally moved and are beginning to feel like things will resume to "normal." I have been meaning to blog about this wonderfully fun event for a couple of weeks, but I was ready to move!

I was honored when the American Cancer Society contacted me in January 2010 to co-chair a new fundraising event for their chapter in Northwest Arkansas. My grandmother had passed away from cancer on Christmas morning 2008 and my aunt would be diagnosed and pass away with stage IV brain, lung and bone cancer while planning with this event. Let's say that ACS "hits home" with me.

We had a wonderful committee this year who poured a number of hours into making this event successful. We also had wonderful sponsors including:

Delta Trust

BNSF Logistics

Citiscapes

Best Buy

The Gardens of Arkanshire (our Platinum sponsor)

All photos courtesy of Anita with Steely Joe Studio! She also served as a committee member!

The main theme of our event was "Whimsical." This theme was carried from our guests' attire, decor, centerpieces, and even the catering! There were hats of every size, shape and color. We had hats you could rent for the evening and even had a hat contest.

Talk about a fun night!

We contacted local florists within Northwest Arkansas and asked them to create "whimsical" floral centerpieces for our guest tables. The florists amazed us with what whimsical creations that created!! They were all so unique and right on the mark! Our guests were then able to purchase their favorite centerpiece with the proceeds benefitting ACS.

Rose of Sharon in Fayetteville created her centerpieces in large tea cups with hydrangea, hanging amarynthis (one of my favorites), gerberas and more. I loved the short and round centerpieces!

I had created over 20 quotes from the "Alice in Wonderland" movie and placed them in the centerpieces and on the tables for discussion points.

Ladybug Floral and Finds in Fayetteville created their "whimsical" centerpieces:

Stacked teacups with flowers

Red Roses with playing cards

A beautiful arrangement with a great whimsical hat!

Centerpieces made from button mums to resemble mushrooms

and even a centerpiece with the "White Rabbit!"

Candy Bouquet, featuring Designs by Suzanna in Rogers, created her own "whimsical" centerpieces too!

I just love kale!

A black feather wreath as a base with red roses and a hat stand in the center! We had suspended lanterns from the ceiling, and unknowingly, Candy Bouquet, featuring Designs by Suzanna incorporated them into her centerpieces.

Literally, a Candy Bouquet. I wonder how I didn't end up at one of these tables!

A centerpiece that incorporated a mushroom and clock. Of course, the kale!

The playing cards

These two centerpieces were covered in moss that was spritzed with water. Tea cups filled with candy adorned the moss and flowers and butterflies were incorporated too.

Our very own guests to the Gala created this centerpiece! I actually had someone come up to me at the event and ask how much this creation was!!

Can you tell it was a great event?!

Country Gardens in Springdale created six of these monstrous centerpieces. I loved that they were tropical and so unique! I received a floral lesson from the owner of Country Gardens on the species of the flowers, but I didn't write them down!

I remember Kanagroo Paw (both with fur and sans fur), Bird of Paradise, Bromeliad, and Anthurium. These large centerpieces sat on top of upside down top hats.

We can't forget that Boom Kinetic played! I had never heard them before, but must admit that I did do some dancing to classic 80's!! I also received an encore when they performed at a client's wedding two weeks later.

You can't forget about the food! The Gardens of Arkanshire were the Platinum sponsors of the Gala and prepared all of the food. We even named the food stations!

We had the Queen's Dessert Table that featured:

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Brownies and Cupcakes

And, meltaways! I admit, I ate quite a few of these! I didn't shrink upon eating them, but did grow. I guess I ate from the wrong side!

Another station was named "Off with their heads" that featured Artichoke Tarts:

Another was named "Cabbages and Kings" that featured chicken lettuce wraps

Another was named "Frumious" that featured Greek food like this wonderful Greek Salad!

Kim Moore, co-chair, Scott Dorminy, ACS Director, and myself after a long night and months of hard work!!

The event raised $11,000 for ACS and we will begin working on the 2011 Gala next month!

Mad Hatter's Ball

2010-08-03T13:02:00.006-05:00

Twinkle, Twinkle little bat, how I wonder where you're at!

It's finally here! THE summer social event is this Saturday, August 7th at the Fayetteville Town Center. I have all of the details here, but you can still purchase tickets and find out more information here.

Read the directions and directly you'll be directed in the right direction!

Tickets are $50/person or $80/couple

We are encouraging guests to wear "whimsical" cocktail attire and a fabulous hat! If you don't want to go through the bother of finding a hat, no worries! You can visit this site and check out all of the hats that we have for you to rent for the evening! They will be $20 for the entire night and the money will go directly to American Cancer Society. I will even be wearing this one!

We will have a photo booth available courtesy of Steely Joe Studio. You and your friends can all pile into the booth, use great fun props and all of the images will be burnt onto CD's for you to purchase.

The evening gets curiouser and curiouser!
Cocktails 6:00-7:00
Dinner from 7:00-8:00
Program and Desert from 8:00-9:00
and Oh my ears and whiskers! Boom Kinetic will perform from 9:00-12:00am!

There will be fabulous decor, wonderful food, live and silent auction items to bid on and other great ways to help out the American Cancer Society! You can help us find a "Key To the Cure" by purchasing a key for a chance to win a wonderful item, purchase a photo CD, donate and BRING FRIENDS to the event!

Words of Kindness

2010-07-07T20:44:00.004-05:00

I received a lovely email from Jessi Edwards, my wonderful client who was married on June 5th, 2010, and wanted to share!

"Shannon made it possible for me to thoroughly enjoy my wedding day instead of micro-manage it. Every time a possibly stressful situation would arise, she was there to diffuse it. I got so many compliments on how smoothly everything went and how on top of everything my coordinator was. I would recommend Shannon's expertise, organization, and support wholeheartedly to anyone planning a special event. I really got to be "present" at my wedding because I knew that Shannon was behind the scenes handling everything the exact way that I wanted. I don't know what I would have done without her, and I know that my wedding would not have been as amazingly executed if it were not for her presence.

How wonderful to hear! Jessi was incredible to work with herself I might add! You can check out Jessi and Jacob's wonderful wedding at Beaty Photography.

Sweet Send Off

2010-07-06T14:19:00.004-05:00

Many brides are now beginning to mail their wedding invitations for their summer weddings. Why not include that extra touch by having them stamped with a sweet sounding name?!

You can choose:

Bliss, New York 14024; 585-322-7740

Bridal Veil, Oregon 97010; 503-695-2380

Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514; 919-942-4170

Darling, Mississippi 38623; 662-326-8408

Deary, Idaho 83823; 208-877-1470

Groom, Texas 79039; 806-248-7988

Harmony, Rhode Island 02829; 401-949-2745

Honeyville, Utah 84314; 435-279-8213

Kissimmee, Florida 34744; 407-846-0999

Lovely, Kentucky 41231; 606-395-5848

Loving, Texas 76460; 940-378-2259

Luck, Wisconsin 54853; 715-472-2079

Romance, Arkansas 72136; 501-556-5911

Jessi and Jacob Leonard

2010-06-09T10:09:00.010-05:00

Jessi and Jacob were married Saturday, June 5, 2010 at the beautiful St. Catherine's at Bell Gable Chapel and their reception was held at The Garden Room on Dickson Street.

I also got to work with my dear friends at Beaty Photography! I can't wait to see their wonderful photographs from the wedding, but here is a picture from Jessi's bridal portraits.

Jessi did a vintage-themed wedding and made most of her decor and spent months collecting mason jars, vintage milk glass vases, and vintage cake toppers for decor. Jessi is an extremely organized and fun spirited bride who was a joy to work with!!

Jessi had over 200 photographs of childhood memories for all of her guests to enjoy during the cocktail hour.

Her handmade linens, signs and vintage decor were just perfect!

June 5th also marked "National Donut Day"! What better way to celebrate this delicious treat than to highlight them in the dessert bar and enjoy a few!

Jessi and Jacob wanted a "cake buffet" without the traditional "wedding cake" so it was filled with donuts, petit fours, cupcakes, and a ceremonial cake.

Jessi found several vintage cake toppers, but these took home the cake, or cupcake! :-)

The flowers were from a local grower, Coyote Farms, in Northwest Arkansas. The bridesmaid's bouquets were very vibrant with yellow and white gerbera daisies wrapped in bright yellow ribbon.

The menu was delicious!!

The evening also included the Beatybooth! I can't wait to see all of the photos!! I was very blessed to work with such a wonderful, fun and loving couple! The newlyweds are off in London for a wonderful honeymoon and I had a blast working with them.

Tablescapes

2010-05-14T14:19:00.004-05:00

Brides have found wonderful ways to stretch their budgets while planning their weddings. I tell my clients to focus on one or two "wow" factors to get the best "bang for your buck." You can splurge on wonderful florals that will greet the guests at the entrance to your ceremony/reception or splurge on the menu and drinks and scale back on other items. There are a number of options, but a wonderful wow factor to me resides in your linens. They can add color and texture in an instant! You can splurge on more expensive cloths for your cake table, sweetheart tables, bridal party table, reserved tables, etc. and keep with nice alternatives for your guests. See what a statement these make!

These are all from Wildflower Linens and would instantly let your guests know they were in for an incredible affair!

We have a winner!!

2010-03-16T15:46:00.004-05:00

Congratulations to......

Candace Prejean!

She is our "Dream Day" Giveaway contest winner!

I drew a winner at random this morning at 9:06AM and Candace Prejean was the lucky winner! She will enjoy a wonderful prize package that includes:

Wedding "day-of" coordination from A Party to Perfection

Photography package from BriGeorgePhotography

DJ services for her wedding reception complete with sound and light from Brock Entertainment

2 free months of Jazzercise

3 one hour dance lessons from Kevin Smith Ballroom dance

One month bootcamp from Precision Fitness

Appear in an upcoming issue of the Northwest Arkansas Wedding Ideas Magazine

Receive 50% off one of the "By the Season" wedding collection packages from Rose of Sharon

A 25% discount off of Gold Package or 25% off a custom made "Love Story" from James Michael Smith

Cake stand and cake table linen rentals from Eventures

Wow!!

It's almost time!

2010-03-15T21:35:00.004-05:00

Wow! We have had 133 brides register for the "Dream Day" Givewaway! This wonderful prize package is valued at over $4,000! These giveaways from our wonderful Northwest Arkansas Vendors are sure to make one lucky Northwest Arkansas Bride very very happy! Make sure to check back tomorrow as we announce our winner; it could be your name we announce!

Thank you all for stopping by our booth at the NWA Premier Bride Showcase or for picking up a copy of the Northwest Arkansas Wedding Ideas Magazine! If you would like to schedule a consultation to see how I can help make sure your wedding day is as perfect as it should be, call me today at (479) 422-1697.

Northwest Health Systems' First Annual Beaux & Belles Kid's Expo

2010-03-05T13:58:00.003-06:00

The newest venture! If you would like to have a booth at the show, please contact me at (479) 422-1697. This will be a wonderful family event!

Now on WedArkansas

2010-03-03T16:19:00.003-06:00

A Party to Perfection can now be found on WedArkansas! Arkansas' newest event and wedding planning site! I hope to someday soon venture out of Northwest Arkansas and serve other areas of the state!

Interview with Rose of Sharon

2010-02-27T18:59:00.004-06:00

Thea Daniel, owner of Rose of Sharon in Fayetteville, is one of our wonderful "Dream Day" Giveaway sponsors so it is perfectly fitting to highlight her work and her business on the blog! Rose of Sharon is donating 50% off their "By the Season" package to the winner of the "Dream Day" Giveaway, which will be drawn at random on March 16, 2010.

Where did your shop get it's name?

"Rose of Sharon" is the common name for the Althea, a blooming shrub. Although I go by Thea, my name is actually Althea.

How long have you been in business?

Since April 1998

How did you get started in the industry?

While in college, I volunteered at a local florist shop over spring break one year. After 40 hours of free labor, they offered me a part time job-with training.

What is your favorite type of event?

I really enjoy large-scale weddings. I love the planning that goes into this type of event; the coordination necessary between the different vendors and the feeling that you get when it all comes together. When you've changed "ordinary" into "magical".

What is your ideal client?

One who trusts my creativity, and one I connect to emotionally.

How do you work with DIY (Do It Yourself) Brides?

Several different ways. For brides (and any other members of the wedding) who want to create their own pieces, but aren't sure how, we offer training workshops. For brides who want to do some of their floral work, we work to create a unified look. Usually this means we design the bouquets and other body flowers, while they handle the centerpieces. If a bride wishes to purchase flowers through a wholesale company ( like Sam's Club) or from a local Farmer's Market, we will use the flowers provided; although, we will only guarantee our design work. We are also starting a bulk purchase program so that brides can purchase all the necessary materials in one place. This program is still being developed, so it's not on the website yet.

Do you work with brides on a budget?

Of course! We will do everything we can to meet a requested budget. Sometimes adjustments must be made to the types of flowers used or the quantity of items created to meet that budget. But, we'll make suggestions to help this process.

What trends are you seeing in wedding florals today?

Vintage! Lots of "old fashioned" flowers like garden roses, peonies, and hydrangeas. this is a look that I love, by the way. It meshes with my personal style.

What is your favorite type of flower?

My long-time favorite is the traditional yellow daffodil. I also like a lot of the spring flowers-tulips, hyacinths, pussy willow, etc. I also like oriental lilies and a perfect rose, regardless of variety or color, is stunning. Peonies are another flower I love. Sometimes it's a particular colored flower that gets me. I guess it really depends on my mood more than anything else.

What advice can you give brides who are looking for a florist?

Make sure you connect emotionally with your florist. There are a lot of talented designers around, but if you don't connect emotionally, it won't work.

What should brides keep in mind when selecting their flowers?

Pay attention to your dislikes as well as your likes. Make sure your florist knows what these are. This goes a long way in making sure you're happy with your entire floral order.

What has been one of the most significant moments in your careers?

The completion of my first large-scale wedding. I was sitting at the reception, under this enormous centerpiece, and it suddenly hit me that I had a part in making this happen. It was the first time in about 5 days that I slowed down enough to really look around. It was breathtaking and I knew that I wanted to recreate this feeling as often as possible!

Modern Etiquette

2010-02-27T18:52:00.004-06:00

While many brides are wanting to uphold traditions in their weddings, times are changing!Etiquette must be adjusted to the times as well. This is an extremely common question so now you will know how to handle these tricky questions with grace and tact. Enjoy!

Question: Is there a tactful way to put the word out we want cash, not gifts?

Answer: Cash gifts are perfectly acceptable if the guests feel comfortable with the idea. Even though cash gifts are traditional in some areas and cultures, some people just don't like to give money as a gift, and that's their prerogative. Use the grapevine to let guests know your preference, or, if you're asked directly, you might say: "We're saving for dining room furniture, so if you like the idea of giving us a check as a gift, that's how we'll use it. Whatever you decide would be terrific! Thank you for thinking of us."

It is never appropriate to place any comments regarding gifts or registries with your wedding invitation!

If you have an etiquette question, leave a comment and we will assist!

Casey and John's Inspiration Board

2010-02-17T21:03:00.004-06:00

I am so excited to begin working with Casey and John on their August 2010 wedding in Northwest Arkansas! While it will be rather hot in the south in August, the guests at this wedding will be greatly appreciative of all the bride's southern hospitality as she helps keep them comfortable! This wedding is sure to be beautiful, romantic, and truly reflective of the bride and groom's personalities!

All photos courtesy of The Knot.

Another take on tradition

2010-02-08T12:47:00.003-06:00

I found this idea this morning via Martha Stewart Weddings and thought it was just genius! While it can be quite comical to witness a group of single women flooding a dance floor to run and fight for a bouquet, how about making several small toss bouquets for the ladies? This idea also adds a touch of whimsy as you have ribbon printed with "fortunes" for your girls: "You will marry the boy next door" and "You will marry a celebrity" and so on. This will ensure that you don't cause a stampede on the dance floor and make your single gals happy!

Have you heard?

2010-01-30T14:26:00.005-06:00

If you are reading ANY bridal magazine, you have seen an advertisement for Dessy. Dessy group is the leading manufacturer of bridesmaids dresses, social occasions dresses, flower girl dresses and destination wedding gowns. Dessy, together with Pantone LLC, the global authority on color and provider of professional color for the design industries, have launched the Pantone Wedding color guide. This is the ultimate wedding color guide for brides and planners. The Pantone Wedding color guide is a collection of color tools that makes it easy for a bride to achieve a perfectly color-coordinated wedding.

The HOT color for 2010 is Pantone 15-5519. Otherwise known as Turquoise!

Dessy allows you to choose a wedding day color palette and also create inspiration boards that you can share with your bridal party, family and vendors. You can also order swatches or cards of your chosen colors to make sure your colors are spot on! This is an invaluable site for the bride who hasn't quite decided what colors to choose, or what accent colors to use. I"m totally

addicted to this site!

Black, charcoal and pale yellow

New England Shoreline

Oyster, Daisy and Clementine

Arkansas Razorback Football schedule for 2010

2010-01-30T14:02:00.003-06:00

We all know it affects our 'ideal' wedding date. If not for our spouse(s), then for our guest list; Arkansas Razorback football! Keep these dates in mind when scheduling your 2010 wedding date; if you don't mind your guest count dwindling or everyone watching the game via their iPhones. Enjoy!

Date Opponent Location

September 4, 2010 Tennessee Tech Fayetteville, AR

September 11,2010 Louisiana-Monroe Little Rock, AR

September 18, 2010 Georgia Georgia

September 25,2010 Alabama Fayetteville

October 9,2010 Texas A&M Texas

October 16,2010 Auburn Auburn

October 23,2010 Ole Miss Fayetteville, AR

October 30, 2010 Vanderbuilt Fayetteville, AR

November 6, 2010 South Carolina South Carolina

November 13, 2010 UTEP Fayetteville, AR

November 20, 2010 Mississippi State Mississippi

November 27, 2010 LSU Little Rock, AR

Real Wedding in Northwest Arkansas

2010-01-27T02:00:00.003-06:00

I have great plans for 2010 and am going to try to highlight real weddings in Northwest Arkansas! This real wedding took place at the Fellowship church in Lowell, Arkansas by my dear friend's at Beaty Photography! I only wish they were in business when I was married seven years ago!

What a precious couple! For more photographs on this wedding make sure to check out Beaty Photography!

Mastering Wedding Etiquette

2010-01-26T14:24:00.007-06:00

Today's etiquette question covers a topic that is beginning to bring up heated debate!

Question: How can I tell my guests that children are not allowed?

Answer: The truly proper way to indicate that children are not allowed at your wedding ceremony is to simply not put their names on the invitation.

However, many guests may not be familiar with proper etiquette and will not pick up on the message that their little angels are not invited simply because their name(s) are not on the invitation. In this case, you can:

Place a message on your wedding website

Provide another piece of stationary with your invitation, not on your invitation, that indicates that a nursery will be provided

Provide list of reputable babysitting services

Arrange a pizza party or other fun event for the children at a relative's home during the ceremony

Or you can simply ask your mother to begin to spread the word to family members.

IF they are allowed to the reception, providing them with their own entertainment table can ease their anxiety. Provide crayons and coloring books, puzzles, playdough, etch a sketches and other age appropriate toys to keep them entertained.

As long as you give your guests ample notice to make necessary arrangements for their children, it should be a wonderful event for all!

Mastering Wedding Etiquette

2010-01-23T14:10:00.003-06:00

Now that we are officially in "the" wedding planning season, I am going to start to highlight and answer some of the top wedding etiquette questions being asked today. If you have an etiquette question, please feel free to leave a comment on the blog!

Question: When do we display our married logo?

Answer: Proper etiquette states that you are only to display your married logo after the ceremony. So your married logo should not be used on wedding invitations, save the dates, ceremony programs, thank you cards for showers, etc. You can use just the bride's initial or the bride and groom's initials for all pre-ceremony stationary and then have your married monogram on your cocktail napkins, dance floor gobo, wedding cake, favors, etc.

Note: The order of a monogram is as follows:
Groom's first initial, your last name initial, and the bride's first name initial

(R) for Ryan (L) for Langston and (S) for Shannon
RLS

NWA Bride Premier Showcase Booth

2010-01-16T20:19:00.006-06:00

I had to create a mini candy buffet that was convenient for patrons to collect goodies and also address sanitary concerns. I created three urns with different and convenient candies:

"Mint for each other" was wrapped around a glass urn that held peppermints

"Double the fun" marked the double bubble bubble gum

"Bliss" highlighted the assorted chocolates

All three glass urns were set on a white serving tray with white peonies

Our booth held two cocktail tables. This was the "elegant and sophisticated" table that was covered in a silver/gray crushed tablecloth with a silver/gray runner. It also had two tall vases of cream Spider mums and Gerber daisies .Tea light candles in crystal candle holders set off an elegant glow.

The vibrant Peacock table. It was great to see other vendors highlighting this beautiful color scheme on cakes, invitations and in floral bouquets! The colors are beautiful, sophisticated and fun! They are also pair wonderful with other accent colors for 2010.

The beautiful black chandelier I suspended from supporting poles in our booth. I then wrapped the poles with silver drapes and suspended the chandelier with black silk ribbon.

Our "Dream Day" Giveaway was highlighted on our front table. All registration entries were placed in this huge Pilsner vase for a great visual display!

A simple and elegant white peonie was submerged in a glass vase with a white floating candle on top (not lit here)

My business cards were held in this silver tray with reflecting crystals

It was a wonderful and busy show! There were many enthusiastic 2010 and 2011 brides that I loved meeting and discussing how I can help with your wedding details. Please call to schedule a consultation and see how your wedding can be "A Party to Perfection".

NWA Bride Premier Showcase wrap up

2010-01-16T20:00:00.004-06:00

The turnout at the NWA Bride Premier Showcase today was beyond my expectations! I had the opportunity to meet with some wonderful 2010 and 2011 brides in Northwest Arkansas and am excited to begin working with you! Thank you all for stopping by our booth and registering for our "Dream Day" Giveaway. The contest package is valued at over $4,000 worth of great goodies and the winner will be notified by March 20, 2010. Make sure to check out the prize package and contest rules for any updates.

There is an enormous amount of information and marketing material received at bridal shows that it can be difficult to organize and process. Please check out my website for packages that I offer and please call to schedule an appointment to discuss your wedding needs!

Color Mania!

2010-01-14T15:07:00.005-06:00

I love color! I love monochromatic schemes, warm tones, pastels, and off the wall color combinations; I love it all! Brides usually know right away that they want "pink" as a wedding color, but may have a difficult time deciding what color(s) to choose as accents. You can check here for a great color design source! I could spend hours on this site choosing a monochromatic, complementary, and triad color combination. 2010 has lots of fabulous new color trends and I am sure you can find a color scheme that will wow you and your guests!

A huge thank you to our "Dream Day" Giveaway Sponsors

2010-01-13T16:27:00.011-06:00

We are starting the registration for the "Dream Day" Giveaway this Saturday at the NWA Bride Premier Showcase at the Springdale Holiday Inn Convention Center from 10:00-4:00 pm! We have a great prize package that we will be giving to one random bride in March 2010 and it wouldn't be possible without these wonderful Northwest Arkansas vendors:

BriGeorge Photography

Check these out

2010-01-09T22:00:00.007-06:00

I'm an avid reader and have been overwhelmed with all of the wonderful new trends, products, designs, traditions and personalization of today's weddings; things have surely changed since my wedding seven years ago! Here are just a few things I think are worth checking out! Enjoy.

Omnibride.com

Think google for brides-this site allows you to search for a specific request, like edible favors and DIY place cards, within all wedding-related content. Find trends, daily giveaways and contests, plus the most recent wedding blog posts.

These nonslip aisle runners from Original Runners look fabulous and just might save you from tripping in your heels during the ceremony. You can choose from runners with flourishes, seasonal patterns, monograms, hand sewn crystals or have them create a custom runner to match your wedding theme.

These are just too perfect! These personalized hangers from Lila Frances would always be a momentum from your wedding worth saving. Can we say...photo op! You could choose your nickname, married name, a heart, a word of inspiration or faith, whatever you wish. These would also make great gifts for your bridesmaids and are super affordable. Your dress, veil or wedding lingerie will look timeless next to these!

Bridal Shows: What to Bring With You and What to Leave at Home

2010-01-09T21:37:00.003-06:00

If you haven't noticed, Bridal fairs, shows, expos, showcases, etc. are everywhere! This post discussed several ways to survive a bridal show and what to expect. This post from "I will" to "I Do" offers tips on what to bring and what to leave at home. You will appreciate these simple tips o you can focus on your planning and not on juggling your paperwork. Enjoy!

Planning 101- Budget

2010-01-07T10:44:00.004-06:00

It is probably THE busiest planning season for brides, and coordinators! Thousands of brides are just beginning their wedding planning and realizing what a daunting task this is! It isn't just fun details like deciding on colors and the gorgeous dress, but the headaches of bigger issues, like your budget! To those of you who read my blog you are aware that I do not condone going into debt to pay for your one "perfect" day, but to decide on a wedding budget and stick with it.

First, decide who is going to help contribute to your wedding. If you are one of the 59% of today's couples paying for your wedding, you should know what your budget is early on and be able to stick with it. Are your parents paying for 100% or only certain expenses?

Second, sit down with both sets of parents and have the "budget talk". If they are willing to contribute, how much? Are your parents paying for certain expenses like the dress ,cake, reception and lodging? Are the groom's parents paying for the caterer and alcohol? Everyone needs to feel comfortable with what they are able and willing to help pay for.

Third, will the money go into a special wedding account,will they give you the total amount up front, or will they provide you with the money when the vendors need to be paid? Getting all of this settled in the beginning will help to ease stress as the wedding plans progress and more and more vendors are required payment simultaneously.

Once you know how much your wedding budget is you should start to feel more comfortable as you begin to contact vendors. You should also decide which details of your planning are more important to you. Are you just hard set on getting married in this church, but not so picky about the species of flowers in your bouquet? Are you just determined to have this specific DJ and ice sculpture? You can give your budget an adjustment when you determine what is really most important to you and your groom.

The contest just got better!

2010-01-05T18:40:00.004-06:00

After much contemplation we have decided to open the "Dream Day" Giveaway to ALL brides! We want every bride-to-be to have the opportunity to win this great prize package for her perfect day and have the opportunity to work with some wonderful vendors in Northwest Arkansas. But wait, it gets better! If you sign a contract with A Party to Perfection or BriGeorgePhotography, you are entered into the contest twice. And, if you sign with us both to coordinate and photograph your wedding, you are entered into the giveaway three times!

How to enter:

Stop by our booth at the January 16th Premier Bridal Show at the Springdale Convention Center from 10:00am-4:00pm and register or simply call or leave a comment on my blog asking to be entered into the competition and please leave your contact information! It's that easy!

The winner will be drawn at random on March 16th and notified by March 20th.

Call today to schedule an appointment to see how your event can be "A Party to Perfection".

Shannon (479) 422-1697

Dream Day Giveaway Package

2010-01-02T14:02:00.014-06:00

It is time to unveil the wonderful Dream Day Giveaway prize package!

The prize package includes:

A "Day of" wedding coordination from A Party to Perfection

Engagement, Bridal and Wedding photography from BriGeorgePhotography

Two free months of Jazzercise

Three one hour ballroom dance lessons by Kevin Smith ballroom dance

50% off a "By the Season" floral package by Rose of Sharon

Bridal luncheon provided by Shelby Lynn's Cake Shoppe

Cake stand and cake stand linens by Eventures

Wedding Reception DJ services provided by Brock Entertainment

1 month bootcamp where we guarantee either one dress size or pant size loss in 28 days and a gully detailed online nutritional from Precision Fitness

25% off of the "Gold Package" or 25% off of a custom "Love Story" video from Ja mes Michael Smith Videography *depends on vendor availability which discount the bride will receive

The winner will be featured in an upcoming issue of the Northwest Arkansas Wedding Ideas magazine

Wow! Make sure to check back because new vendors are joining monthly! The contest will run from January to March 2010 with the winner being drawn on March 16th! You can read here for contest rules and make sure to check us out January 16th at the Premier Bridal Show at the Springdale Convention Center.

We definitely would like to thank all of our wonderful Northwest Arkansas paticipating vendors for helping to make this a great prize package for a 2010 or 2011 bride!

Dream Day Giveaway Contest Rules

2010-01-01T02:01:00.004-06:00

I am so excited to finally share with you what we have been working so hard on! I am starting 2010 off with a bang and a fantastic giveaway! Brides who attend the January 16th Premier Bridal Show or who contact us can register to win our "Dream Day" Giveaway! I will be listing the prize package and the wonderful Northwest Arkansas vendors who are participating in the giveaway, as well as the contest rules here on my blog. Be sure to keep checking back for updates on the contest because new vendors are joining monthly!

Synopsis:
This is NOW an open contest and brides can register at our booth on January 16th or contact us to register for a chance to win. Bonus, Brides who sign a contract with Party to Perfection and/or BriGeorgePhotography will be eligible for two chances to win the giveaway and brides who book with us both for their wedding will receive three entries into the giveaway! I will "save the date" for the bride for 30 days and within this time period I will meet with the bride to discuss her wedding details and dreams. One winner will be selected at random (details will follow later) and she will receive this incredible prize package!

"Dream Day" Giveaway

Rules:

Bride must register her name, wedding date and contact information
We will "Save the date" for the bride for 30 days. After those 30 days the intial deposit with A Party to Perfection and/or BriGeorge Photography will be due according to their individual contracts.
Brides who sign with A Party to Perfection or BriGeorgePhotography will be entered twice into the giveaway or three times if you sign with both
If the bride withdrawls her services from A Party to Perfection and/or BriGeorge Photography during the contest timeframe, her name will be withdrawn from the contest giveaway
The wedding date must take place on or before October 1, 2011
A winner will be drawn on March 16th, 2010 and the winner will be notified by March 20th, 2010
If the winner is having their wedding outside of Northwest Arkansas or is having a destination wedding, travel and room accommodations for A Party to Perfection and/or BriGeorgePhotography are the responsibility of the winner
It is at the participating vendors' discretion on whether or not they will participate in weddings outside of Northwest Arkansas
A Party to Perfection and BriGeorgePhotography are not responsible for any fees associated with sales tax, change orders, delivery fees or cancellations and these are the responsibility of the winner
Registered bride's contact information will be provided to the participating vendors for additional discounts, coupons and offers

Call today to schedule an appointment!
(479) 422-1697
Shannon@apartytoperfection.com
"Excellence doesn't require perfection, but I do!"

Black-Eyed Pea Decor for New Year

2009-12-31T14:56:00.001-06:00

We are only a few short hours away from ringing in 2010 and I know many are excited to put the pitfalls, shortcomings, politics, economic recession, housing market crash and others behind us. We are all ready for a new beginning, clean start, fresh inspiration and good things to come! This post is from one of my favorites, Amy Atlas, as she reminds us of the good luck and prosperity message behind Black Eyed Peas, not the musical group, but the legume and how you can help to share this message with others. Enjoy!

Black-Eyed Pea Decor for New Year

20 things that Grooms like to do

2009-12-27T15:28:00.002-06:00

I read this article in the January 2010 issue of Brides Magazine and just had to share! A lot of wedding traditions are changing and being modified by the couple so why not the role of the Groom? When I was married seven years ago the only thing my husband was interested in was knowing what time he had to be at the church, but that is all changing!

20 things Grooms like to do:

Asking his best friend to be his best man
Designing your wedding web site
Working on the playlist
Picking out the appetizers
Creating a wedding microbrew
Choosing what he'll wear
Comparing cake flavors
Researching the Honeymoon
Figuring out the map/directions cards
Going to the menu tasting
Proofreading invitations, programs, etc. (Guys like to find mistakes.)
Wielding the scan gun when you register (My husband's favorite part!)
Getting a day-before massage
Choosing your wedding day ride
Writing his vows (you'd be surprised!)
Attending the bachelor party
Unwrapping presents
Organizing pyrotechnics of any type- fireworks, sparklers, etc.
Practicing the first kiss

Updates

2009-12-27T15:19:00.003-06:00

I am sorry it has been so long since my last post, but I've been busy working on lots of new projects!

My new niece finally arrived December 22, 2009 weighing 6 pounds 14 ounces and she is beautiful!
My new website is just hours away from being rolled out after months of work; a few editing issues that I need to fix and it will be rolled out!
I am two lessons away from obtaining my Professional Bridal Consultant License
My contest is ready to debut in the January issue of Northwest Arkansas Wedding Ideas
I am participating in the January 16th Premier Bridal Show at the Springdale Northwest Arkansas Convention Center from 10:00-4:00
My contest rules are almost ready to post on my blog!
I will be offering a 10% discount to brides who book with me at the Premier Bridal Show and another great discount to brides who book with me before February 13th!

Wow! Schedule a consultation today (479) 422-1697 to see how your next event will be "A Party to Perfection"!

PSA from a Non-Bridesmaid

2009-12-12T12:24:00.003-06:00

This came to my Inbox this morning and I felt compelled to share it with all of the Brides who are just beginning to plan their 2010 and 2011 weddings. There is a "planning protocol" that should be followed when you first begin to plan your wedding to avoid some of these pitfalls. Enjoy!

Cocktails & Details: The Wedding Planners' Fabulous Blog » Blog Archive » PSA from a Non-Bridesmaid

Found on Etsy.com

2009-12-03T11:00:00.001-06:00

Who cannot and has not spent hours searching through Etsy? I have spent hours on Etsy and found fabulous items from homemade thank you cards, to bolero jackets, to wedding programs, and to these great wooden signs from My Primitive Boutique that would be perfect for a vintage or outdoor wedding. The name plates (left) would work great as escort cards for your guests and the wooden sign (right) is perfect for an outdoor wedding or a venue off the beaten path.

Feeling stressed? A Coordinator can help.

2009-12-02T19:36:00.001-06:00

One of my favorite Wedding magazines, Bride and Bloom has this wonderful article on their website. There are so many details involved with a wedding and it takes great planning and "been there done that" to know what to anticipate and come prepared to handle. A wedding coordinator can be one of the last things a newly engaged couple thinks about, but can be one of the best sanity savers and safeguards to make sure your wedding goes according to plan. Enjoy!

Where to start your wedding planning process

2009-12-02T11:00:00.009-06:00

Two weeks ago officially started the Engagement season and with that, the wedding planning season. There are thousands of brides currently planning their Spring and Summer 2010 weddings and the reality is setting in; this is a HUGE process! Brides today are completely overwhelmed with the amount of information available to them in print and online. Here are a few suggestions to help get you started in a calm and organized manner. Enjoy!

1) Decide on your budget

As I've mentioned in previous posts, the average wedding in Northwest Arkansas ranges from $16,000 to $25,000. This is a large amount of money to plan this one "perfect" day and it is not recommended that you come home from your glorious honeymoon to mounds of wedding debt. According to the December 2009 issue of Brides, 59% of today's brides and grooms are paying for their wedding themselves. Decide who is contributing to the wedding and how much they are contributing. Are your parents covering 100% of the bill or are they willing to just cover certain categories (attire, catering and venues). Make sure that you set your expectations in line with your budget and decide which items are the most important to you and what other items are negotiable.

Remember that the easiest way to control your budget is to control your guest list.

2) Selecting your Venue(s)

Many brides tend to pick their wedding date because they desire a June or October wedding, their parents were married on the selected date, etc. only to find out that the venue they desperately want is booked. If you begin planning early enough you might get lucky and get both! Keep in mind when selecting your ceremony and reception venues the type of event you want for your wedding. Does the modern museum help with your sailing theme? Does the Celtic church help with your chic modern theme?

Keep in mind the number of invited guests

The season

The time of day your ceremony and reception begin

3) Selecting your date

Be cautious when selecting your wedding date that you are not booking on a major holiday or on a three day weekend. You can schedule your date, but this may affect your guest's attendance. Make sure that you give your guests plenty of notice (four to six months in advance) if you plan to marry on a holiday or long weekend so that they can make arrangements. Also make sure that your venue is suitable for your wedding season. Your guests will appreciate the proper venue and accommodations in the rainy and cooler seasons

4) Selecting your Style/Theme

This is where the fun begins! This is where you and your bridegroom get to personalize YOUR wedding day. You can choose a color scheme, theme, style, favorite hobby, favorite city/state/country, whatever you want and have fun. Once again, make sure that your venue is suitable for the style of wedding you are wanting.

5) Guest list

Begin compiling your guest list early. The best way to approach the guest list is to have you and your fiance compile your own lists and then have both sets of your parents compile their lists. Bring all four lists together, cross off any duplicate names and start from there.

Tips:

If you have never met nor seen someone in twenty years, it might be best to send them a Wedding Announcement after the event.
When it comes to co-workers you are not obligated to invite your entire office. You can invite those that you are truly close to and send an Announcement to the rest of the office staff.
Make sure that your guest count is in line with your budget and venue capacity

6) Vendors

Wedding vendors are all vying for your business! You should research all vendors; check out their websites, blogs, Facebook pages, portfolios, testimonials, etc. Make sure that the vendor is someone credible and legitimate. Once you have selected your venue(s), wedding date and budget schedule an appointment with your top vendors. Be prepared with names of other vendors in case your top vendor(s) is booked for your wedding date. This isn't the case with all vendors, but photographers and wedding coordinators may only book one wedding a weekend.

There are plenty of details that need to be addressed when planning a wedding, but these are the biggest issues that should be handled promptly. Once these have been secured the rest of the planning should begin.

Call today to schedule a complimentary consultation to discuss your wedding needs!

(479) 422-1697

Book your event before December 31st to receive $50 off of your package price!

Etiquette Q &A

2009-12-02T10:00:00.004-06:00

This question has become a touchy subject today with many men beginning to grow their hair; on both their head and face. Hope this settles the sensitive subject.

Q: We're going to have a very formal wedding at a country club, and my older brother, who's a groomsman, has grown a long, raggedy beard. I want him to trim it, but he says I"m being a control freak. Can I tell him to either shape up or ship out of the wedding party?

A: That depends. What means more to you: how your wedding party looks, or your relationship with your brother? (Hint: Go for the latter.) Back off until the wedding day. Then ask Mom to "encourage" him to run a comb through his beard before he walks down the aisle.

New Moon Movie Premier Party!

2009-11-19T15:38:00.006-06:00

It's finally here! The New Moon Movie hits theatres this Friday and I know that there will be a lot of pre-parties, after parties and even more parties when the movie is released to DVD and Blu-Ray. One of our favorites, The Hostess with the Mostess, has created these great printable movie quotes in 8X10 and 5X7's for you to print out for your New Moon party! How fantastic!! While these can be printed on your home computer, it is recommended that you download the file and have a professional printer like FedEx or Kinkos print them for the correct coloring.

Send pictures of your New Moon party to me and I"ll feature them on my blog!

Day-of vs. Month-of Planning

2009-11-19T15:00:00.004-06:00

One of the questions I get asked from prospective Brides is "What is the difference between the day of and month of planning?" With a little help form Melissa of Masterpiece Weddings, here is a short answer to this question. Enjoy!

There are similarities and differences between the day of and month of planning. Both services will be there on your wedding day to organize and orchestrate your wedding day. And you get to work with your planner, but the similarities sort of end there.

If you have a Full Service Coordinator they will do the following, plus a TON more:

Help with your budget
Review contracts and negotiate your contracts to make sure nothing is missing or duplicated
Attend your meetings with your vendors (offer our opinions)
Assist with decor
Help with the set up and possibly breakdown
Be "In-the-know" with every aspect of your wedding
Create an extensive timeline for each vendor involved in your wedding
Organize and Orchestrate your Rehearsal and Wedding Day
More extensive time on the day of your wedding
And much, much, much more!!

What can a Day Of Coordinator do for you:

Be at your Rehearsal and your wedding to organize and orchestrate the day
Meet with you 1-2 times prior to your wedding
Be there for a limited amount of time on your wedding day
Create a timeline
Coordinate your ceremony

I offer an array of different packages depending on the type of assistance that you need:

While You Were Sleeping (Full Service)

Love Actually (Month of, jump start, etc.)

Day Of (4 weeks prior to your wedding date)

I also offer A La Carte services that can be added to the Love Actually and Day Of Coordination for a special rate. It all depends on what services you need and how much you have already planned.

Please schedule an appointment with me today to see how I can make your event A Party to Perfection and take advantage of $50 off of your service package if you book my services before December 14th!

Defining your Vision

2009-11-15T15:45:00.005-06:00

It is extremely exciting when you first get engaged! But all of the excitement can quickly turn to a racing mind, a large "To Do" list and anxiety. For most, the exciting part of the wedding planning starts with selecting your dress, color scheme and centerpieces a.k.a. the fun stuff. The less than glamorous details, but the most important need to be addressed promptly! Here is a link to help you get started. Enjoy!

Erika Dotson Photography

2009-11-12T16:50:00.000-06:00

A big thank you to Erika Dotson for sharing her favorite wedding photographs with us! If you missed her interview, make sure to check it out!

Interview with Erika Dotson of Erika Dotson Photography

2009-11-12T14:11:00.021-06:00

ERIKA DOTSON

Erika Dotson and I have communicated back and forth for months trying to meet but never seem to be on the same schedule. In order to become more familiar with her work I have chosen to highlight she and her work. Her photographs will be in the next post. Enjoy!

APTP: What is your specialized style?
Erika: First and foremost I LOVE anything vintage but beyond that it's a pretty fair mix. I shoot between fine art, photojournalism, modern, creative; very unique are a few words to describe it!

APTP: What is your favorite shot to take?
Erika: Hmm...that varies with each couple and I like to try new things with each couple.

APTP: What is your favorite time to shoot a wedding?
Erika: I love to shoot an hour just before sunset. If you do a "first look" you'll have dreamy couple shots before the ceremony. Then, the lighting is perfect during your ceremony and then right after we are able to get the family portraits squared away with plenty of spare light.

APTP: What has been some of your most memorable photo shots?
Erika: I love when people get really into a theme for engagements. For example, if you love to travel together, dressing the part along with old suitcases. Or, if you love to watch movies we could take shoots in theatre with 3D glasses; pretty much anything that is different! The kissing shot in front of sparklers is always a winner!

APTP: What new trends are you seeing in wedding photography?
Erika: Texture and vintage feel photos as well as a more fine art approach. All the stuffy poses are gone!

APTP: Who is your "ideal" client?
Erika:

Someone who loves Etsy.com.
Someone who takes into consideration the advice I love to freely hand out.
Someone who is easy going and doesn't get super stressed.
Someone who enjoys every second of their wedding day.
Someone who is crafty and has a major eye for every little detail.

APTP: What is your favorite part of the job?

Erika: I absolutely love that I get to work with such happy families! That's the best part. Everyone is always happy at weddings and it's a good work environment! I love to travel too!

APTP: Why did you choose photography?

Erika: I have always wanted to be an artist since I was little. I had a serious interest in high school and have just continued to pursue. I had several opportunities fall into my lap and I ran with them!

APTP: What has been the best advice you have been given?

Erika: Always exceed your customer's expectations!

APTP: What advice do you want to share with brides who are looking for a wedding photographer?

Erika: Be sure you don't go for the budget because in the long run you could spend $$$ on your photographer and hate your images. You would have wasted more money than if you spent $$$$ and love your images forever! Also, it's imperative that you get along with your photographer! You will be spending more than just your wedding day with this person!

I would like to thank Erika for taking time out to let us get to know her on a personal and professional level! I have asked her to share some of her favorite wedding photographs with us and they will be in the next post.

You can find Erika at http://www.erikadotsonphotography.com/.

Found on Etsy

2009-11-11T15:30:00.016-06:00

I spend hours searching Etsy for inspiration, the hottest items being sold and just gorgeous products. I L.O.V.E. anything ultra feminine, chiffon, ruffles and detail. I also tend to like items that are a little "before" their time, but just had to feature some Bolero's. I believe Bolero's add that extra detail to a wedding gown that take it to a total wow factor. It can be elegant like a lace bolero, soft and flowing like chiffon or eye stopping in a bold color or adorned with jewels. Which ever style you choose you can make sure that your guests will remember this piece.

White Orchid Chiffon with ostrich feathers

Toccata

Silk chiffon with a nuno felted silk flower

Glamour Junkie

Elegant Lace

Emily Rohm

This would be a great option for the Mother of the Bride and comes in different colors. Bonzie has great items and I had a difficult time just choosing one to highlight!

Bonzie

Uptown Urban Crafts

Perfect for a winter wedding!

Magic Laboratory

The escort cards vs. placecard conundrum

2009-11-10T21:18:00.005-06:00

While the wedding invitation is the most important element of a stationary suite, the *escort card and place seat card can be equally important. Whether you choose escort cards or place cards, they can help to carry out the theme from your invitation suite or wedding theme to the reception and carry to make your event cohesive. There are thousands of unique versions available today and the sky is the limit!

You can spray paint river rocks to include the names on the front and the table assignment on the back

You can tuck the escort or place cards into pinecones, sand, wheat grass, coffee beans, candy or whatever else to help carry out your wedding theme. These also include a pig, chicken and cow to indicate the guests' entree choice.

You can tie your escort and place cards to your favors. A sweet treat from the start as the escort cards were tied to pink and green lollipops and anchored in boxes filled with jelly belly's.

These escort cards continued the wedding color theme and wrapped around scratch lotto tickets!

Add meaning to your props: These escort cards were pinned to the tree for the family members and placed on the table for friends.

Black buttons listed the guests' names and the pink card listed their table number

*Escort cards include the guests' name and table number that are displayed in a central area (they can be displayed on a table or hung from a tree) and organized by last name, which guests use to find their table assignment. Placecards seat guests at a specific seat at their assigned table. So, escort cards seat guests at a specific table, while placecards assign each guest a specific seat at the table.

Pictures from The Knot

Wedding Black Out Dates for 2009-2010

2009-11-06T19:00:00.000-06:00

We are in "season" in the wedding industry. This is the time of year that thousands of brides are becoming engaged and planning their summer weddings. As you begin to pick that perfect wedding date, keep these Black Out Dates in mind!

Setting the Date - Wedding Dates to Avoid in 2009 and 2010
Here are some dates you’ll want to avoid when planning your 2009 or 2010 wedding.

So you’re ready to set the date and want to pick one when all your nearest and dearest will be available and enthused to share in your wedding day. This list of 2009 and 2010 blackout dates will help you avoid booking a wedding date that may inconvenience you and your guests.I"m saying that any of these days are off-limits, (and if you’ve got your heart set on one of them - go for it!), but you may want to check around before setting your wedding around the following dates.

Days of Religious/Cultural Observance
Christian

Palm Sunday Weekend

•April 5, 2009
•March 28, 2010
Easter Sunday Weekend

•April 12, 2009
•April 4, 2010
Christmas

•Friday, December 25, 2009
•Saturday, December 25, 2010
Sundays
Some churches may not host a wedding during the day of rest. Check with your congregation to be sure.

The Month of December/Early January
December is a busy travel month for most Christians, so think twice before hosting a December or early January wedding if many of your guests will have to travel.

Jewish

Rosh Hashana

•Sundown on Friday, September 18, 2009 until nightfall on Sunday, September 20, 2009
•Sundown on Wednesday, September 8, 2010 until nightfall on Friday, September 10, 2010
Yom Kippur (begins at sundown the night before)

•Monday, September 28, 2009
•Saturday, September 18, 2010
Passover (begins at sundown the night before)

•Thursday, April 9, 2009
•Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Hanukkah (begins at sundown the night before)

•Saturday, December 12, 2009
•Thursday, December 2, 2010
Friday Evenings and Saturdays before sundown
Jewish sabbath

Muslim

Sacred Month of Muharram

•Thursday, December 17, 2009 – Friday, January 15, 2010
•Monday, December 6, 2010 – Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Sacred Month of Ramadan

•Thursday, August 20, 2009 – Saturday, September 19, 2009
•Tuesday, August 10, 2010 – Thursday, September 9, 2010
Kwanzaa

•Begins Saturday, December 26, 2009 through Friday, January 1, 2010
•Begins Sunday, December 26, 2010 through Saturday, January 1, 2011

Holidays/Three Day Weekends
You don’t necessarily need to avoid these holiday weekends, but be sure to consider their pros and cons. On the pro side: You’ve got an extra day for celebration, which makes hosting a Sunday event (a good way to save money) a possibility. On the con side: Travel and lodging costs may be higher, and many guests may already have conflicting plans on these holiday weekends.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day (always on Monday)

•January 19, 2009
•January 18, 2010
President’s Day (always on Monday)

•February 16, 2009
•February 15, 2010
Patriots Day (Massachusetts/New England regional, always on Monday)

•April 20, 2009
•April 19, 2010
Memorial Day (always on Monday)

•May 25, 2009
•May 31, 2010
Independence Day

•Saturday, July 4, 2009
•Sunday, July 4, 2010
Labor Day (always on Monday)

•September 7, 2009
•September 6, 2010
Columbus Day (always on Monday)

•October 12, 2009
•October 11, 2010
Thanksgiving (always on Thursday)

•November 26, 2009
•November 25, 2010
New Year’s Eve

•Thursday, December 31, 2009
•Friday, December 31, 2010
New Year’s Day

•Friday, January 1, 2010
•Saturday, January 1, 2011
Other Major Holidays
Valentine’s Day
It may be the most romantic date for a wedding, but your floral bill will be through the roof.

•Saturday, February 14, 2009
•Sunday, February 14, 2010
Mother’s Day (always on Sunday)
Just make sure Mom’s OK with it before booking this date. Florists will charge more for this day too

•May 10, 2009
•May 9, 2010
Father’s Day (always on Sunday)
Same goes for Dad

•June 21, 2009
•June 20, 2010
Halloween
It could be the perfect date for a theme wedding or costume party if that’s your desire, but remember that families with kids may not want to miss out on trick-or-treating.

•Saturday, October 31, 2009
•Sunday, October 31, 2010
Major Sporting Events
Super Bowl

•Sunday, February 1, 2009, Tampa, FL
•Sunday, February 7, 2010, Miami, FL
World Series

•Wednesday, October 28, 2009 through *Thursday November 5, 2009 (*if Game 7 is necessary).
Final Four/March Madness

•Saturday, April 4, 2009, and Monday, April 6, 2009, Detroit, MI
•Saturday, April 3, 2010, and Monday, April 5, 2010, Indianapolis, IN
Potentially Unlucky Days
Friday the 13th

•Friday, February 13, 2009
•Friday, November 13, 1009
•Friday, August 13, 2010

Ides of March

•Sunday, March 15, 2009
•Monday, March 15, 2010
Days of Remembrance
September 11

•Friday, September 11, 2009
•Saturday, September 11, 2010
Pearl Harbor Day

•Monday, December 7, 2009
•Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Daylight Saving Days
You may not want to risk guests or, even worse, your vendors showing up an hour early or late:

•Sunday March 8, 2009 – Daylight Saving Begins
•Sunday, November 1, 2009 – Daylight Saving Ends
•Sunday, March 14, 2010 – Daylight Saving Begins
•Sunday, November 7, 2010 – Daylight Saving Ends

Courtesy of elegala.com

Wedding Receptions: 17 Ways to Spruce Up Your Site - Wedding Reception Planning - Wedding Reception Ideas - By TheKnot.com

2009-11-05T15:38:00.004-06:00

I love the Knot. It offers so much information that a bride can easily go into information overload. You can spend, and I have, hours and hours reading tips, trends, message boards and viewing photographs. I came across this article today and wanted to show you a few of the ideas that are being used. These are all beautiful regardless of the feel you want at your wedding; outdoors, modern, family style, intimate, or all fun!

Don't be so square, or round. Mix your tables to add a more casual feel.

Suspending paper lanterns creates a great focal point, color and ambiance

A cue from your reception venue: This one is at the Wildflower Center in Austin, TX.

An all white Modern Museum wedding in New York

A gorgeous chandelier focal point

Colored lighting and fabric to set a mood

Family style seating with a charming rustic feel

Using a sophisticated color palette of black and white and adding a "pop" with green fabric and wheat grass

Using mother nature to create chandeliers

Photos all courtesy of The Knot.

Wedding Receptions: 17 Ways to Spruce Up Your Site - Wedding Reception Planning - Wedding Reception Ideas - By TheKnot.com

Etiquette Wednesday

2009-10-30T15:08:00.003-05:00

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

2009-10-30T14:37:00.010-05:00

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

2009-10-27T20:10:00.003-05:00

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.