Including Your Pet on Your Wedding Day

We have had pets involved in many of our weddings.  They have walked down the aisle, been carried into the reception and pictured on table numbers.  They can be your flower girl, ring bearer, best man or maid of honor.  Just remember, when planning to involve your pet in a wedding there are several things to be aware of.  First does your venue or reception site allow pets?  Most do not. If yours does, then make sure the pet is well behaved, well groomed and well dressed.  We have done collars of flowers, doggy tuxes and tutus.  Make sure someone will be responsible for getting the pet down the aisle and watching it during the reception.

But don’t despair; if the site does not allow pets there are other ways to include them.  You can use their picture as a part of your table numbers, put their pictures on wine bottles or candy wrappers.  Have them included in your engagement pictures and use one as your sign in mat picture.  Some couples have their pet represented in cake on the wedding day.  Personally I’m a little squeamish about cutting into my pet (even if it is cake) but that’s just me.  Your beloved pet can be included in your montage shown at the rehearsal dinner or reception.  You can even have him as a part of the wedding cake topper. There is no limited to the creative ways you can share your love of your pet with your wedding guests.

Questions about The Charger Plate



Photo Source: Memories by McMillan

I was talking to a florist today and the question came up “how long does a charger plate remain on the table?”  In case you don’t know a charger or underplate is the large decorative plate used to enhance your table setting.  No food is placed on them.  A food plate is placed on top of the charger.

The charger is in place when the guest arrives.  The soup or salad plate may be set in place on top of the charger or the charger can be alone with just a napkin in the center.  The most common practice is for the salad plate to be in place on the charger as the guest is seated.  It will remain in place through the soup and/or salad course and then be removed for the rest of the meal. 

If the charger is important to the overall look of your tablescape you can elect to have the charger remain in place throughout dinner, but it is always removed before dessert is served.

Lamp Centerpieces...Very Cool

Looking for a little different centerpiece for your wedding?  Something a little more funky and cool?  We’ve done lamp centerpieces several times and I love them. They are a huge amount of bang for the buck. Check it out…

photo source: UBloom

What's Hot This Year in Wedding Planning

I ran across this interesting information today and I thought you my sweet readers might be interested.

WHAT'S HOT THIS YEAR IN CEREMONY & RECEPTION PLANNING

• More couples choosing same location to have their ceremony and reception, up almost 10% over 2010
• Couples choosing more unique locations, “Other” same location venues take the lead from Event Facilities
• More couples having their wedding ceremony at a courthouse, private residence, or wedding chapel
• More couples holding their wedding reception at a private residence or restaurant
• With more unique locations on the rise, more officiates are performing the ceremony, a 30% increase over 2010
• Food stations are more in demand than ever before
• While other dessert options are popping up, wedding cake is still most popular at 83% demand
• Cash bar on the rise along with outside alcohol and BYOB
• Photo booth is the only rental that maintained demand, all other rentals down
• The couple is contributing more to ceremony and reception costs
• Couples researching closer to wedding date for venue
• Couples inviting less guests, 144 compared to 152 in the 2010 study
• Couples holding wedding closer to home

Topline results from the Ceremony & Reception Study 2011 by The Wedding Report (theweddingreport.com)

How To Knock Their Socks Off with Your Wedding Colors

I’m asked quite often about flower colors for a wedding.  Should they be bright, more muted, is white better than bright colors?  My answer is to start with the volume low and amp it up as the night goes on. 

What does this mean?  Well let’s say your favorite color is lavender (which happens to be mine).  I would start with ceremony flowers of different shades of white, the only hints of lavender would be in the linens, personal flowers (bouquets, corsages and boutonnieres) bridesmaids’ dresses and ribbons used.

As we move to the cocktail hour, linens would become a deeper shade of lavender; flowers would be white with bright pops of lavender color added.  This makes the transition from the ceremony to cocktail hour connected while building a sense of excitement and expectation. 

Once you enter the reception flowers become all shades of purple from pale lavender to deep royal purples.  The linens reflect the deep richer tones and announce to the guests that this is the PARTY!  The colors are “knock your socks” off dazzling, yet everything about your wedding day connects and flows.

You can check out one of my favorite blogs http://blog.karentran.com for more pictures of this look.

A Great Bridal Shower Idea!

Ok, I love, love, love this idea.  Have a cake decorating party for either a shower or a bridesmaids’ party.  Order small two layer cakes for each guest and have your favorite cake baker come and teach your girls how to decorate their tiny wedding cake.   It’s a creative and original party idea.  Throw in a few signature cocktails for the girls to sip on and this could be a totally fun evening. You could even give cute aprons as the favor. 

Source: Inside Weddings

Megan and Anthony's Mountain Wedding

When we started planning Megan and Anthony’s outdoor mountain wedding we had no idea that the day of the wedding would be freezing cold.  I mean teeth chattering cold.  Luckily, we had a plan B and quickly moved it into place. We rented heaters, built a bon fire, put the sides down on the outdoor area and handed out blankets and wraps. It was enough to hold off the cold and let the guests have a good time.

The couple chose Pretty Place for their ceremony and close by Rainbow Lakes Resort for their reception.  Many of their guests, being from out of town, stayed in the cabins located at the resort.

Megan had chosen a fall theme.  The flowers were rich browns, golds, greens and oranges in birch wood containers.  The linens were chocolate with overlays that had a leaf design. Megan made the table numbers that were post cards of different sites around Greenville, SC.  Flavored water bottles had each guests’ name attached to it along with their table number assignment.  There were fall colored koozies for guest favors. It all came together to make a gorgeous picture along with the mountain backdrop.

Vendors:

Wedding Planning and Coordination - Willrich Bridal and Special Events
Ceremony - Pretty Place
Reception - Rainbow Lakes Resort
Florist - Memories by McMillan
Photographer - Better Tie Productions
Cake - Icing on the Cake
Ceremony Musician - Rahab Hackett and Susan Hackett
DJ - Complete Music Video and Photography
Caterer - Goodlife Catering
Rentals - Proffesional Party Rentals

Mountain Wedding

Here's a picture from our wedding on Saturday.  There will be more to follow this week.