The Perfect Palette has a $100 giveaway from The Wedding Outlet
Kelsey Anderson Photography is giving away 1 hour of skype mentoring
Brenda’s Wedding Blog is giving away a $100 shopping spree to Weddings Are Fun
The Boho Wedding Blog is giving away a lifestyle portrait shoot from Greyeye Photography
Inspired Celebration is giving away bridal jewelry from Poppy Sparkles
Sprinkles Cupcakes has Dad boxes from June 17-19. Don’t forget Father’s Day!
The wedding favor has come a long way from Jordan’s Almonds wrapped in tulle (thank goodness)! Today couples are getting creative, tying in their theme and going DIY with their favors. I am often asked by my clients about what they should give to their guests as a favor. Here is my two cents…
The Big Bridal Sale
1. Llittle picture frames, candles, or anything personalized with the brides and grooms initials or names are going to get left on the table. I cannot tell you the number of candles I have packed back up at the end of a night and sent home with the bride and groom. Don’t waste your money on something that will be left behind.
2. If favors are not in your budget, then do not worry about them. Yes you may think they don’t cost that much (which is true) however at the end of the day, all of those little things that don’t cost that much can add up. Nobody leaves a wedding raving about the favors or upset that they didn’t get one. Feed your guests well, make sure they are comfortable, give them good music and a happy couple and you will have happy guests.
3. If you are going to do a favor, make it edible (not of the Jordan’s Almonds variety), homemade or fun. A photobooth is a great favor for your guests, they love to go in them and have fun and they get to take away a picture of themselves. Candy tables, coffee stations, or food trucks are a fantastic way to leave your guests with a little something at the end of the night, think of something everyone loves. Finally, DIY favors are a lovely way to put something of yourselves into your favors. Homemade jams or other food products are something people drive to the country to buy, they are not going to leave it behind.
Bliss Wedding Market
Jessica & Jeremy had a DIY backyard garden wedding last month, shot by my favorite photographer, Danielle Cover. Everything about this lovely wedding was DIY, from the food (which the groom made all homemade, including the cake) to the homemade jam favors and the darling ribbon wands the 7 little boys carried down the isle. The bride and groom, both professional musicians, played a beautiful concert for their guests, joined by some friends and the bride’s father. I cannot think of a more perfect way for this laid back couple to celebrate. It was a joy to work with them on their wedding!
Danielle Cover Photography
Danielle Cover Photography
Danielle Cover Photography
Danielle Cover Photography
Danielle Cover Photography
Danielle Cover Photography
Danielle Cover Photography
Danielle Cover Photography
Danielle Cover Photography
Florist: Edge Flowers, Photography: Danielle Cover Photography, Venue: Private home, Ceremony music: Sage String Quartet, Planner: Events to a T, Rentals: Select Event Rental, Staffing: Professional Bartenders & Servers
Lavender wedding rice: Bridal Wave, Hanging lavender: My Wedding Flower Ideas, All other photos: Pinterest
Kate Spade Gillian – $325
Kate Spade NY
Capitol City Servers
CaterWire is the latest Groupon-like site to pop up, the difference being this one serves the event industry. The site is the Washington, DC Area’s on-line site tailored specifically to providing great catering, personal chef and restaurant specific deals only. In addition to weekly deals on event-related services, the site also provides a local tip that spotlights DC-based vendors, as well as factoids about the catering industry. The site is built for those people who are searching for catering and event-related services, such as catering for office luncheons or meetings, personal chef services, or private happy hour deals.
For those in the industry iinterested in taking advantage, it’s free to receive updates and free to list your service, though like any other daily deal site, CaterWire does take a percentage of your profits on sales. To join the site and signup for their weekly deals, visit www.caterwire.com. If you’re interested in having your product or service be featured as one of the deals, you’ll need to contact them directly.
The current deal is 40% off private wait staff through Capitol City Servers. This is great for planners who can pass these deals onto their clients. Corporate and private planners alike should be able to benefit from this great new service.
The Wedding Bureau is giving away photography from Steph Tan Photography
UniqLove has opened an online store
Brides & Bubbles pop up wedding showcase will be Sunday, June 12
Bridal Show at Hillwood Estate on June 15
Best Wedding Sites is giving away all kinds of prizes from vendors in the magazine.
Love this DIY project, perfume lockets, adorable.
Hillwood Estate
On June 15, Hillwood Museum & Garden will be hosting their Wedding Belles Bridal Bash. Hillwood was founded by American collector and heiress to the Post cereal empire, Marjorie Merriweather Post. Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens is one of the premier art collector’s museums in the United States, as well as a beautiful venue to host one’s wedding.
From 6:30-8:30 p.m., brides, grooms and their families will have the opportunity to browse Vera Wang’s Fall 2011 Collection, shoes from Neiman Marcus, silver from Tiffany & Co., beauty consultations from Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spas, florals from Volanni and other fabulous local wedding vendors.
Guests will also get a sneak peak of Wedding Belles: Bridal Fashions from the Majorie Merriweather Post Family 1847-1958. The exhibit will officially open on June 18 with an opening celebration benefit. Remarks begin at 7:30 p.m. Tickets may be purchased online in early May starting at $175.
Tickets to the wedding show can be purchased online for $35 or $45 at the door. Enter promo code “wbelles” for $10 off your tickets.
With the invention of wedding websites where guests and family can learn all about the wedding party, the weekend agenda and directions to and from your ceremony and reception, are printed programs still necessary? Yes of course there is the argument that your grandma does not use the internet or that guests will still require directions even if you put them on the website or just that the devil is in the details. All of which are valid points, assuming you have a few hundred dollars to spend on something everyone will throw away or leave on their chairs. If you do and it is your great desire to have beautiful programs then I say “go for it”. However, if you are trying to trim the budget here and there, the the little things add up and you can certainly skip the programs without your guests wondering where they are, getting lost over what is to come next in your ceremony or or asking everyone who that bridesmaid is. Nobody is going to leave your wedding and say “she didn’t even have programs” and despite how beautiful they may be they probably aren’t going to say “her programs were amazing” either. Your guests care about being comfortable, good food, good music and how beautiful the bride looks. All being said, I do not mean to discourage anyone from the program of their dreams, only to give you permission to skip them if you want or need to.
If you do want to go the program route, these are some lovely options.
intimate weddings
the bride spot
wedding site
intimate weddings
Lisa and Mark are by far the most lovely, down to earth, considerate couple I have the privileged of working with (and I have so many truly wonderful clients). They are getting married in October at a really unique mill, it is going to be beautiful. Their engagement session was photographed by Danielle Schuh Photography.
Danielle Schuh Photography
Danielle Schuh Photography
Dnaielle Schuh Photography
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