Meet Your Planners!

Question of the Month: What is your favorite school supply?

Shelli:

I don't know why, but I loved having a full pack of brand new
pens... the kind with the erasers! I don't even think they make
those anymore. They were actually terrible pens that left ink

all over my hands, but I really loved having them.

Erin:

Binders! I love how you can personalize something so typical

by putting in colored tabs with a font that reflects your

personality, photo and graphic cover designs and pretty folders.
Organization CAN meet style!

Jenn:

Favorite school supply has to be... MARKERS! With markers
you get lots of different colors and you can make wide lines

if you use them on their sides or fine lines if you use the tip.

LOVE the color wheel. :)

Nicolle:

New textbooks. Any kind, any subject. I just love the way

the pages smell!

Katie:

A new pack of highlighters - perfect for focusing on the

details and important points!

Receptions Trends: Centerpiece Pin Lighting

During one of last season's weddings, we had one bride with a desire to show off her beautiful centerpeices. Also desiring a romantically lit room, we came up with a solution to have a soft ambiance, while still allowing the centerpieces to truly be the centerpieces of the room. After all, wouldn't you want you guests to be able to see the detail in the florals that you've spent all that money on to create a specific mood within your reception?




The result are the two photos to the left: gorgeous florals each having its own bright white pin light. We love how each table

becomes its own piece of art. If your budget allows, this effect is well worth the money.

Logistically, each set of pin lights was placed out of main walkways and away from key events in the room (i.e. cake, dance floor, etc.) The posts were draped in fabric to coordinate with the decor and to help hide them from immediate guest view.

Lighting courtesty of Exclusive Events and reception location courtesy of the Ritz-Carlton St. Louis.

Going Organic

Going organic for a wedding these days can be quite the challenge. However, finding small ways to help make your special day a little more Earth - Friendly has never been so beautiful!

We LOVE this dress made by ThreadHead Creations (style Jane). With it's romantic style and classic appeal (and, honestly the reasonable $800 price tag), this wedding dress is perfect.

Can't you just picture a perfect spring Garden wedding with a beautiful bride walking down the aisle in this ensemble?

Remember, brides, going green doesn't mean sacrificing style, beauty or elegance. With dresses like this, it's possible to be eco-friendly and fashion forward at the same time!

Here's a view of the back:

DIY: Wrapped Votive Centerpieces

For brides on a budget, candle centerpieces are a great alternative. However, affording a custom look often puts a large dent into a small budget. Here's a great way to get a custom look for your wedding, without spending a lot of money! (This makes eight sets for approximately $60).

Step One: Purchase a cylinder shaped 16 piece glassware set from your local discount store (try to find the most round set possible. A set like this works great). A set with 8 low and 8 tall glasses is ideal. You'll also need to purchase 8 - 12" candle cylinders and 8 glass votive cups. We found all the supplies at Wal-Mart, between the Dinnerware and Craft aisles.

Step Two: Purchase a variety of coordinating papers and satin ribbons. Get at least 3 sheets of 4 types of papers and 3 rolls of 3 types of ribbon. Avoid card stock papers. Lightly colored pattern papers and translucent papers work best. You'll also need to purchase a few rolls of double sided tape.

Step Three: Wrap the 12" cylinders, tall and short glasses in your papers. The paper should be cut almost the same height as each piece, allowing a little room at the top and bottom (You need to be sure that no piece of embellishment is near or in the direct path of any flame. As always, use common sense and exercise extreme caution when working with open flames. Never leave any candle unattended.) Adhere the first edge with double sided tape, wrap and finish the second edge with another piece of double sided tape.

Step Four: Wrap each piece of glassware with ribbon. On the taller pieces, allow a few inches to hang down for a more romantic look. Again, be sure that any embellishment is clear from the path of any lit votive.

Step Five: Group each set and number on the bottom with a sticker. You will have eight total sets, comprised of one votive, one short glass, one tall glass and one 12" cylinder. Be sure to mix and match the paper and ribbon types.

Your finished votive will look something like this in one big group (you can see how we grouped each set):

Good Luck and Happy Crafting!

Spring into Color!

Now that the warmer weather is starting to finally arrive, it's hard not to be inspired by the coming spring! One of our favorite spring color combos is blue and yellow. It's fresh, clean, chic and perfect for one of the first outdoor weddings of the year.

Check out this country chic garden bouquet:

This outfit found at a local children's store would be perfect for any flowergirl! We love that it's different from your standard flower girl dress, more casual (fitting for a garden wedding!) but still absolutely adorable:

And how cute is this cake? The double increased size on the bottom layer paired with the white ceramic cake stand makes for such a unique look:

And finally - bridal style! Spring is the PERFECT time to rock that vintage, tea length wedding gown with a cute pair of colored heals. This dress seems fitting for the occasion!