Archive for April, 2012
Appy Couple – Mobile Wedding App
Last week I ran across a post on one of my favorite blogs, Style Me Pretty, about a new mobile app for weddings called Apply Couple. After more investigation (and playing around on my iPad), I decided that it was so genius that I had to share with you too! The app not only allows you to stay organized throughout the whole wedding process, but also connected with your guests during the planning stages and on your wedding day!
Some of the fun stuff that Appy Couple allows you to do includes running polls, which can help when you want to seek input from your wedding guests, and send digital invites to your engagement party, showers and bachelorette party. Then, on your wedding day, your guests can snap photos which can be uploaded in real time to your app so that guests who could not be there for the celebration can still feel like they’re there in person!
If you have an iPhone or iPad (an Android version is said to be coming soon) I highly suggest downloading Appy Couple and playing around with it yourself. I think you’ll come to love it just as much as I have!
Here’s a link to the Today Show Australia for their recent review of Appy Couple as well: http://today.ninemsn.com.au/videoindex.aspx?uuid=10faf382-7c4d-4d41-a722-f5fbd591f0cb
- Jill
Shanna & Brian’s Flash Mob
Last week I posted about Shanna and Brian’s March wedding, and mentioned their surprise flash mob orchestrated by all of the wedding guests. Shanna has provided me with the video of the flash mob, and it was so fun to watch that I had to share!
As you can see in the video, it took Shanna a while before she realized that everyone knew the dance and they weren’t all just copying her moves. Although it’s not until almost the end of the video, the look on Shanna’s face when she realized what was going on was priceless!
Thank you so much Shanna and Brian for sharing your special day with us!
- Christie
Menu Woes?
After your venue has been chosen, your dress has been picked out, and you have more control of your guest list (or less control?)…..it’s time to start thinking about your menu!
I was recently reading an article in Ceremony Magazine for 2012 where they interviewed 24 Carrots Catering and Events. They had such great and fun ideas to make your menu unique! They talked about doing fusion menus to incorporate the different cultural backgrounds of both cultures and mentioned how couples these days are loving miniature versions of their favorite foods for late night snacks (think mini grilled cheese sandwiches with smoked tomato dipping sauce or a taco station).
My most favorite idea was instead of doing the traditional protein, starch, and vegetable medley for your dinner, to do gourmet mini burgers with fresh cut fries. Doesn’t that sound yummy with some truffle or parmesan added in? If you’re worried about the vegetarian crowd, you could have a vegetarian version as well with edamame and black bean veggie burgers!
Click here to read the full article.
There are so many fun things you can do with your menu if you think outside of the box. Do things that represent you as a couple, as tradition isn’t always a must have. It’s YOUR Wedding! Make your guests remember it and more importantly, keep yourselves happy!
- Nickie
Real Wedding: Shanna & Brian
I recently had the opportunity to work with Shanna and Brian on planning their special day for this past March.
Shanna and Brian’s wedding planning was setting up to be a beautifully elegant affair, with soft, girly touches that fit perfectly with our hotel. When Shanna suggested adding some customized touches to the reception, I knew it would become an instant hit! Not only was a custom coffee cart from Café Amore brought in to The Viennese Ballroom for the event, but a frozen yogurt machine from Golden Spoon was too! The guests enjoyed these fun little personalized touches!
As much as I love frozen yogurt and coffee, my favorite part of the night was something much more special and a complete surprise for Shanna. During one of her favorite songs, “It’s Raining Men,” the entire wedding party and all of the guests broke into a flash mob!! Shanna’s sister and Maid of Honor pre-planned the flash mob by coordinating the dance via YouTube – it definitely surprised Shanna and was so much fun to watch!
Here are some of my favorite pictures from Shanna and Brian’s wedding, taken by the very talented Jeff and Erin Youngren:
Congratulations Shanna and Brian! I wish you both much happiness and joy as you being your new lives together!
- Christie
Guest Blog: Stephen of Infinity Lighting
Many couples come to me and ask about lighting. Is it necessary? How much lighting? What would I suggest? So, I went to the professional, Stephen Shanahan of Infinity Lighting. Here’s what he had to say:
Most people don’t think that lighting is a crucial part of the event’s decorations, but it is. Even some simple elegant lighting can transform any ballroom.
When entering a room with lighting your guests involuntary feel whatever emotion you are trying to project. Lighting has the ability to create moods depending on its placement and coloring. Working with a wedding lighting company is helpful to determine exactly what type of mood you would like your guests to feel at various times throughout your wedding reception. Wall lighting, also known as decorative up-lighting, is a simple way of creating this mood. An elegant feel can be achieved by having your wall washes in amber tones. Using purple or blue wall washes give a more relaxed type of mood but you can use various colors to create different elements to fit your theme or vision.
I am having my wedding at the Langham Pasadena and the ballrooms are already gorgeous. What do I do?
Lighting can be used to make all your other decorations look amazing by drawing your guest’s eyes to them. For example, the lovely chandeliers in the Georgian Ballroom are stunning, but adding soft lavender lighting helps create a focal point in the room. Another example, your wedding cake can have a spotlight projected so that it pops in the pictures and for your guests. Your floral centerpieces can also have a pin spotlight shined on them so your guests can still notice the details and colors while the room lighting is dimmed.
Dance floor lighting is a widely used form of lighting. Floral patterns or leaf patterns are a nice way to frame the dance floor. Looking for something more fun? How about giving your guests a club feeling, with high energy, color changing dance floor lighting? Also, ceiling washes can be used to shine various projected patterns or colors on the ceiling, such as an elegant floral pattern. The lights can change colors and/or change pattern with the tempo of the music. A customized monogrammed spotlight is also widely used for the dance floor where you and your spouse’s initials can be projected upon the dance floor. This is especially a nice feature during your first dance.
Photographer and videographers appreciate additional lighting because it helps them to get great shots and to create a three dimensional tone in the ballroom.
Pricing can range from several hundred dollars to several thousand dollars, depending on what you ultimately want your room to look and feel like. Generally, our clients will spend between $900 and $1,500 for lighting, but in the end you need to decide if these elements are important to you and if you want to keep/add lighting in your budget. If you ask us, we think you should!
Thank you so much for your input Stephen!
Here are some beautiful picture examples of the different types of lighting that Stephen has done for our past brides:
Pin Spotlights on the Centerpiece
Spotlight on the Wedding Cake
To find out more about lighting options, visit Infinity Lighting’s website at http://infinitylighting.net.
- Laura
The Perfect Summer Wedding Treat
Now that spring is here, it’s made us realize that summer’s just around the corner! One of my favorite things to have on a hot summer day is a snow cone, which is why when I saw these Boozy Snow Cones in a recent issue of Martha Stewart Weddings I immediately fell in love! They are the perfect summer wedding treat and could easily be used for cocktails and mocktails.
The syrup containers are $5 olive oil cruets from Sur la Table and the labels can be printed off of www.marthastewartweddings.com!
- Jill
Creating Your Unique Theme
Creating a theme for your wedding is easy. Your theme should begin with your save the dates, continue through the font color and style of your invitation suite and finally through elements of your design, décor, entertainment and even favors .
Your theme can be anything that is important to the two of you. Think about where you met, where he proposed, your life’s passion for travel, food , wine, philanthropy, ecology, sports or technology, your culture, and your history as a couple.
Once you have a clear vision of your theme, visit several quality event planning and rental websites for ideas – just looking through these sites and photos of themed events (not necessarily limited to only weddings) will spark ideas.
The Tournament of Roses President’s Dinner held here last December featured a French theme. The show producer, Greg Phelan, brought in elements from the Town and Country Event Rentals Montecito furniture collection and their Vineyard Rustic dance floor.
Photo Credit: Tournament of Roses®
Photo Credit: Tournament of Roses®
Photo Credit: Tournament of Roses®
Here’s a list of a few quality event designers and rental companies who have jaw dropping beautiful photos of themed events on their websites. Remember to look at corporate and philanthropic event photos, not only weddings for your inspiration!
Revelry Event Designers – www.revelryeventdesigners.com
rrivre works, inc. – www.rrivreworks.com
Bob Gail Special Events – www.bobgail.com
- Jill
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