Real Wedding: Jennifer & Ben

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

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

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

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!

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

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

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!