Happy Planning!
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Announce that You're Tying the Knot
Our new intern Jennifer, sent me a link to a really cute stationery idea that I wanted to share with you. The idea was created by Cristina Moralejo, and the basic principle is that you have an loose knot attached to your wedding stationery (engagement announcement, Save-the-Date, wedding invitation etc.) that tightens as the card is opened.
You could have a custom stationer design your invitations with this sweetly simple statement, or it would be a super easy DIY Save-the-Date. Any craft store will have cord or ribbon in your wedding colors to add the finishing touch. With Christmas approaching, I forsee your wedding stationery becoming a tree ornament!
Happy Planning!
Happy Planning!
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
2011 Fabulous Fall Bridal Fair
The Fabulous Fall Bridal Faire at the Madonna Inn, was as busy as ever, but this year a new location, combined with a fantastic new booth design made it, by far, our most successful yet! Our inspiration was Vintage Chic, and included antique leaded glass windows, vintage window shutters to organize seating cards, a beautiful mirrored door to display a vintage wedding dress, and our favorite touch- antique family wedding portraits! BBJ Linens provided the taupe lamour tablecloths and lace overlay. Here's some pics of our booth, and in case you were wondering, all of the beautiful antique furniture was provided by Julia's Antiques (now available for wedding rentals!)
Flowers by Kim provided the beautiful arrangements and antique bottles. The wood cake stands are available for rental from us (Lavender Blue Events). The photos are heirloom family wedding portraits - a special way for you to celebrate a history of happy marriages.
Flowers by Kim provided the beautiful arrangements and antique bottles. The wood cake stands are available for rental from us (Lavender Blue Events). The photos are heirloom family wedding portraits - a special way for you to celebrate a history of happy marriages.
photo courtesy of Melissa Fitzpatrick Studios
Friday, April 29, 2011
Royal Wedding: The Dress
Hi everyone,
So today was the big day, and the whole world watched (and in our case is still watching) the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton.
Later, we'll be posting some notes on how you can have your own version of the Royal Wedding, but for now, I HAD to share some photos, and a little quiz.
Trivia Question: Which of these pictures is the Princess, and which is Pam our design expert and coordinator extraordinaire?
So today was the big day, and the whole world watched (and in our case is still watching) the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton.
Later, we'll be posting some notes on how you can have your own version of the Royal Wedding, but for now, I HAD to share some photos, and a little quiz.
Trivia Question: Which of these pictures is the Princess, and which is Pam our design expert and coordinator extraordinaire?
Ok, so maybe the crown jewels are a dead giveaway, but the dresses are VERY similar, which is even crazier given the fact that Pam is about to celebrate her 31st Wedding Anniversary!! Pam has always worked to stay updated on wedding trends, though being 31 years ahead of the fashion world is a first even for her!
We both hope that Kate and William enjoy such a long and happy marriage!
Stay tuned for our continuing blogs on the Royal Wedding!
Happy Planning,
Valerie
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Alisha & Vince's Wedding April 16, 2011
This weekend we had the pleasure of watching our calmest, most relaxed bride yet, take a walk down the aisle! Alisha was so much fun for us to work with, and we thoroughly enjoyed helping her put the finishing touches on her fun Classic Country Wedding.
Lemon Accents for a Country Wedding:
Alisha's new last name is Limon, and she had the cutest idea to play off that idea by incorporating lemons into her theme.
The Wedding Venue: Taft Barn
Not only an idyllic setting for a country wedding, but a wonderful owner to work with as well!
We always enjoy the couples we work with, and Alisha & Vince were no exception. They were a beautiful complement to each other with their positive natures, and hard-working attitudes. We had several occaisions where we had to "convince" Alisha to let be a pampered bride for her own wedding! Pam and I shared a few smiles as we watched Vince happily take on his marital "duties" - holding Alisha's train and bouquet while she chatted with her bridesmaids!
In the end, a wedding is about the joining of 2 people,2 lives, and 2 families. And with 200 guests to share their special day, Alisha and Vince got a beautiful start to their Happily Ever After.
A Special Thanks to Denise Phelps for all the photos!
Lemon Accents for a Country Wedding:
Alisha's new last name is Limon, and she had the cutest idea to play off that idea by incorporating lemons into her theme.
The Wedding Venue: Taft Barn
Not only an idyllic setting for a country wedding, but a wonderful owner to work with as well!
We always enjoy the couples we work with, and Alisha & Vince were no exception. They were a beautiful complement to each other with their positive natures, and hard-working attitudes. We had several occaisions where we had to "convince" Alisha to let be a pampered bride for her own wedding! Pam and I shared a few smiles as we watched Vince happily take on his marital "duties" - holding Alisha's train and bouquet while she chatted with her bridesmaids!
In the end, a wedding is about the joining of 2 people,2 lives, and 2 families. And with 200 guests to share their special day, Alisha and Vince got a beautiful start to their Happily Ever After.
A Special Thanks to Denise Phelps for all the photos!
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Spectacular Spring Bridal Show 2011
Hi everyone,
Just a quick post here to share some photos of our booth at Central Coast Bride's Spring 2011 show! We had such a fantastic time meeting all the lovely brides and seeing our favorite vendors again. A quick shout-out to Flowers by Kim for sharing their candles and matching our booth so beautifully! A few of our other faves also made an appearance and stopped by: Lago Giuseppe, Brian Owens Media, Splash Cafe, Lori Boe Flowers, Kristen Kundrat Makeup and of course, the fabulous Carolayne and Central Coast Bride staff who make the whole thing happen!
We hope everyone has a beautiful wedding season, and we're looking forward to seeing you all in 6 months (if not sooner!)
Happy Planning!
~Valerie
Just a quick post here to share some photos of our booth at Central Coast Bride's Spring 2011 show! We had such a fantastic time meeting all the lovely brides and seeing our favorite vendors again. A quick shout-out to Flowers by Kim for sharing their candles and matching our booth so beautifully! A few of our other faves also made an appearance and stopped by: Lago Giuseppe, Brian Owens Media, Splash Cafe, Lori Boe Flowers, Kristen Kundrat Makeup and of course, the fabulous Carolayne and Central Coast Bride staff who make the whole thing happen!
We hope everyone has a beautiful wedding season, and we're looking forward to seeing you all in 6 months (if not sooner!)
Happy Planning!
~Valerie
Friday, March 25, 2011
Spring 2011 Trend Alert: Eclectic Elegance
This spring, all trends point to eco-friendly, economical, and Eclectic! The key is TEXTURE! You want every detail of your wedding to be a "touchable" experience.
There are so many places to add texture: start with your tables and skip the ho-hum standard white catering cloth. One option (and by far the easiest) is to rent table runners (or use a chair tie as a runner!), tablecloths, or overlays, in beautiful and fun textures. Of course you want it to match your overall wedding theme, but you can do anything from burlap, to antiqued lace, to screen-printed sheers - even fabrics made from recycled bottles! If you already have the white catering cloths provided by your vendors, give it a personal and eclectic touch by borrowing antique handkerchiefs or napkins from your family and friends to place under your centerpieces... as a bonus this can be your "something old".
On the topic of centerpieces make it feel "touchable" by using fruits, vegetables, or other "fruits of the harvest" like cotton blossoms, wheat stalks, or even branches. You could use these exclusively, or mixed in with your flowers. As for containers, the biggest trend we're seeing is Mason jars - they're economical, easy to find, reusable and recyclable! Mix it up by having several small centerpieces in different size and shape vases or containers on each table - just remember that odd numbers look best!
The wedding menu has taken a turn towards "comfort food". Brides and guests alike have become tired of leaving weddings after enjoying the most beautiful and tiniest dinner of their lives. Treat your guests to your great-grandma's lasagna recipe, or your mother-in-law's potato salad (bonus: you get on her good side early!) Just find a caterer who is willing to cook up the recipes (in large quantities!). Keep the YUM coming with dessert - opt for buttercream icing instead of fondant, or skip the cake completely and serve fruit pies or have a cookie bar (another fun place to use family recipes)!
Hopefully this has helped you kick off your Eclectic Elegant wedding! Check out our inspiration board, and give us a call to talk about your plans!
Happy Planning!
~Valerie
There are so many places to add texture: start with your tables and skip the ho-hum standard white catering cloth. One option (and by far the easiest) is to rent table runners (or use a chair tie as a runner!), tablecloths, or overlays, in beautiful and fun textures. Of course you want it to match your overall wedding theme, but you can do anything from burlap, to antiqued lace, to screen-printed sheers - even fabrics made from recycled bottles! If you already have the white catering cloths provided by your vendors, give it a personal and eclectic touch by borrowing antique handkerchiefs or napkins from your family and friends to place under your centerpieces... as a bonus this can be your "something old".
On the topic of centerpieces make it feel "touchable" by using fruits, vegetables, or other "fruits of the harvest" like cotton blossoms, wheat stalks, or even branches. You could use these exclusively, or mixed in with your flowers. As for containers, the biggest trend we're seeing is Mason jars - they're economical, easy to find, reusable and recyclable! Mix it up by having several small centerpieces in different size and shape vases or containers on each table - just remember that odd numbers look best!
The wedding menu has taken a turn towards "comfort food". Brides and guests alike have become tired of leaving weddings after enjoying the most beautiful and tiniest dinner of their lives. Treat your guests to your great-grandma's lasagna recipe, or your mother-in-law's potato salad (bonus: you get on her good side early!) Just find a caterer who is willing to cook up the recipes (in large quantities!). Keep the YUM coming with dessert - opt for buttercream icing instead of fondant, or skip the cake completely and serve fruit pies or have a cookie bar (another fun place to use family recipes)!
Hopefully this has helped you kick off your Eclectic Elegant wedding! Check out our inspiration board, and give us a call to talk about your plans!
Happy Planning!
~Valerie
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Fabulous Arroyo Grande Vendors
Last Friday we had a wonderful time (despite the California Tsunami warning) enjoying the beautiful weather and friendly faces in downtown Arroyo Grande.
We stopped by Eclair Bakery for a mouth-watering chat with Kirsten about their fabulous wedding cakes and special order pies. I got a sugar rush just from the aromas in their quaint shop in the middle of downtown.
We also breezed through the Papery and had a blast browsing through their stock of wedding supplies, including a really fun collection of peacock themed items. While we haven't done a Peacock Wedding (yet!) Pam and I agreed that it would be a fun and colorful twist on the eclectic and eco-friendly weddings of 2011 (as long as your Peacock feathers are collected in a "bird-friendly" way!)
We rounded off our trip through downtown with a stop at Down the Aisle. Their salon is so elegant, and the owners are super friendly. Most of the time our brides go dress shopping without us, so it was fun for us to have an opportunity to peek through the latest styles and preview the trends for the coming season.
We highly recommend that you check out downtown Arroyo Grande for your next bridal excursion!
Happy Planning!
~Valerie
We stopped by Eclair Bakery for a mouth-watering chat with Kirsten about their fabulous wedding cakes and special order pies. I got a sugar rush just from the aromas in their quaint shop in the middle of downtown.
We also breezed through the Papery and had a blast browsing through their stock of wedding supplies, including a really fun collection of peacock themed items. While we haven't done a Peacock Wedding (yet!) Pam and I agreed that it would be a fun and colorful twist on the eclectic and eco-friendly weddings of 2011 (as long as your Peacock feathers are collected in a "bird-friendly" way!)
We rounded off our trip through downtown with a stop at Down the Aisle. Their salon is so elegant, and the owners are super friendly. Most of the time our brides go dress shopping without us, so it was fun for us to have an opportunity to peek through the latest styles and preview the trends for the coming season.
We highly recommend that you check out downtown Arroyo Grande for your next bridal excursion!
Happy Planning!
~Valerie
Sunday, March 13, 2011
My first blog post & launch of our About.com videos
Hi everyone!
So I've finally decided to start a blog. I realize that I'm probably the last 20-something in the country to do this, but here it is! My goal here is to provide all you ladies out there in Bridaland with the inside scoop on wedding venues and vendors in the San Luis Obispo through Paso Robles areas. Every now and then I might even post some random wedding inspirations from my adventures around the beautiful are we call home - the Central Coast! While you won't find any rants here, I promise to be totally honest in my raves and only give other vendors kudos when it's truly deserved. There's far too many groups and blogs out there that promote just for the sake of promoting.
For now, I wanted to share the links to our first ever About.com How-To Videos! The topics are: How to Cut Your Wedding Guest List, and How to Choose a Wedding Venue. Hummingbird House in Templeton was gracious enough to let us use their beautiful setting. Daniela the owner is super sweet and so easy to work with. If you're looking for a beautiful garden wedding venue, you definitely should check them out. They even have a pond with swans! Anyway, I had a blast making these videos, and Pam and I wrote the scripts so you get some of our best wedding advice for free!
http://video.about.com/weddings/Cut-a-Wedding-Guest-List.htm
http://video.about.com/weddings/Choose-a-Wedding-Venue.htm
Until later,
Valerie
P.S. If you have any questions, just send me an email. You never know, your question just might end up having a blog or a video written about it!
So I've finally decided to start a blog. I realize that I'm probably the last 20-something in the country to do this, but here it is! My goal here is to provide all you ladies out there in Bridaland with the inside scoop on wedding venues and vendors in the San Luis Obispo through Paso Robles areas. Every now and then I might even post some random wedding inspirations from my adventures around the beautiful are we call home - the Central Coast! While you won't find any rants here, I promise to be totally honest in my raves and only give other vendors kudos when it's truly deserved. There's far too many groups and blogs out there that promote just for the sake of promoting.
For now, I wanted to share the links to our first ever About.com How-To Videos! The topics are: How to Cut Your Wedding Guest List, and How to Choose a Wedding Venue. Hummingbird House in Templeton was gracious enough to let us use their beautiful setting. Daniela the owner is super sweet and so easy to work with. If you're looking for a beautiful garden wedding venue, you definitely should check them out. They even have a pond with swans! Anyway, I had a blast making these videos, and Pam and I wrote the scripts so you get some of our best wedding advice for free!
http://video.about.com/weddings/Cut-a-Wedding-Guest-List.htm
http://video.about.com/weddings/Choose-a-Wedding-Venue.htm
Until later,
Valerie
P.S. If you have any questions, just send me an email. You never know, your question just might end up having a blog or a video written about it!
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