Save those heels from sinking in grass & get grass stains out of your heels!

Okay Ladies it's time to share an age-old problem that I've encountered too many times at other weddings as well as my own.

It's sinking in the grass.

We all dread it, but we love our heels and wouldn't go without them on the grass because:
A. it's a wedding. You've got to have your photos look nice
B. heels make our legs look amazing

So as badly as our heels turn into cleats on a lawn, we all love a pretty pair of heels, grass be damned. What's a girl to do? don't say switch to flats, get Heels Above!  I not only got married outside, I had a million photos taken outside with my bridal party.  I had ivory shoes (can you say grass stains) and they had silver.  It had rained the entire week before my wedding so the grass was pretty damp.  I would have loved to have these.  It's so hard traipsing around in a big dress while you're sinking every step.

these shoes had removable embellishments

Still dealing with grass stains on your beautiful wedding shoes?  Here's what I did to fix it.
I took a scoop of oxyclean and put it into a big plastic bucket (the kind you find in a home improvement store) and filled it with water to just cover the shoes.  I let the shoes soak overnight in the bucket (my shoes had no embellishments, they were strictly fabric.  Not sure if this would rust shoes that have bling).  Then I took the shoes out of the soak and threw them in the washing machine on delicate and threw in another big scoop of oxyclean.

Intimate Wedding - Zuckerberg marries long-time girlfriend Priscilla Chan

via graziadaily

Zuckerberg surprized guests at a graduation party for his long-time girlfriend, Priscilla Chan.  Instead of walking into the expected party, guests ended up celebrating the couple's wedding.  The small guest list of about 100 people got to see the couple exchange their vows in a traditional and low-key style.

Zuckerberg is no stranger to the spotlight. From the movie The Social Network to the stock sale of Facebook, Zuckerberg has been heralded as a genius and vilified as a thief. The need for such a personal thing to be out of the public eye was most likely behind the couple's decision to share this special event with friends and family in private fashion.

Many couples are now turning to small venues and intimate weddings.  It makes the event feel even more special when shared with a small group of only the closest people in your life.  Why are so many couples choosing to go small for weddings?  I've put together a list of great reasons to not invite everyone you've ever met to your wedding.

7 Benefits to to hosting a small Wedding

1. Cost.  This is usually the first thing that comes to mind.  Weddings are a big expense.  Cut down the guest list and you cut down the food and bar bill (usually the biggest costs involved).
2. Intimacy. Do you really need to invite your second grade teacher?  No. and she's probably not going to remember you anyway.  Keep it small.  It's less stress on the couple and easier to manage.
3. Giving guests their proper acknowledgement.  If you have a huge group, how in the world will you ever say hello to everyone?  You know you'll get stuck at the table with the one that blabbers on and on and some guests will feel snubbed if you don't say hi.  Keeping your list small ensures you get to give your guests the welcome feeling they deserve.

What Makes an Event Magical?

Fairy Sparkle Dust	magical lights	romantic cake with a surprize

Sometimes I amaze myself how I operate in life (reality) when I daydream so often. I live in a world of hope and fantasize of something better and more beautiful than what is given to me. Give me a word and I'll write you a story.

The best way for me to explain it is that some people see what is, but I see what can be.

Yes, I know I'm a hopeless dreamer and it does get me into trouble sometimes. I sometimes get overwhelmed because I want to draw out into reality what I envision in my subconscious; it's an almost impossible task.

Because I'm driven by hope, I push on and try to bring my vision to life. I'm a creator and can't shake those tendencies.

Now that you know how I operate, let's get back to business...What makes an event magical? Well, It's about a culmination of many elements. The most important things are the idea and the experience.

What's your Party personality type?

Image: photostock / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

 Ever wonder why you struggle planning a party?  Or maybe you wonder why you're so stressed?  If you've ever wondered how to host a better party, you might need to start with figuring out what personality type you are.  You can easily determine the type of personality you have when it comes to planning by the list I've put together of Party Planner personality types.  Which one are you?

Just as every party is unique in its own way, so are the individuals that host them.Once you know what type you are, you can be better prepared in how to handle planning a party.

You can better determine you plan of action with my guide to dealing with your personality type below.

The No-Fuss Party planner:  You're a casual type of person.  You don't like drama, you don't like worrying about the details.  All you want is for your guests to have a good time.  You're idea of setup is throwing on the radio, putting out some cold appetizers and making sure your alcohol is refrigerated.
The Benefits: The relaxed and casual environment is nice for guests and friends.
The Problems:  You have to choose your audience wisely.  You probably can't mix your rowdy friends with your uptight grandparents if it's a BYOB type of party.
The Solution: Hire an event planner for your party.  They can take care of the details you don't want to stress over and can suggest great ideas to keep your party low-fuss but still feel more personalized than just turning on any music and serving basic foods.  It will be the extra touch to make guests feel special and the link that will make mingling between ages and personalities possible.

Damask Wedding Inspiration

via bellacupcakecouture.com

According to Wikipedia, "Damask is a reversible figured fabric of silk, wool, linen, cotton, or synthetic fibers, with a pattern formed by weaving. Damasks are woven with one warp yarn and one weft yarn, usually with the pattern in warp-faced satin weave and the ground in weft-faced or sateen weave. Twill damasks include a twill-woven ground or pattern."

The way we typically think of it today is by the distinct repeating floral pattern that you see in wallpapers or designs. Typically today Damask is a solid color graphic icon set upon a contrasting background.

Big Bold graphic prints are hot right now for modern weddings. It's no wonder so many brides are drawn to not only damask, but leopard print, zebra print and other big bold patterns.

Looking at your Wedding as a Brand

An interesting thought today is considering your Wedding as your very own brand.  As a graphic designer, event planner and marketer it's just part of my whole process.  If you're not use to this way of thinking, it's a great way to gather your thoughts into your personal style.

"There's so much wedding information floating around out there on the web, that it becomes hard to sift through everything." 

We get bombarded by color themes, cakes, flowers, etc.  How do you go picking out what you like?  And worse, what if it all doesn't go together?  You may like a pink rose bouquet, but your favorite centerpieces might have tiger lilies.  Your favorite color may be purple, but your favorite bridesmaid dresses might be green.

An Elegant Invitation from Minted

When you come up with a central theme, it can help a great deal.  How do you go picking a theme?  Well imagine your perfect wedding day.  Picture it in your mind.  Do you want elegance, romance, something modern?  Once you have that down you can begin to break down what that means into your ideals.  Lace is romantic, while a plain satin dress is modern.  Neutral palettes are elegant and timeless, while bright color palettes are more modern.

"You may find when you're done choosing your theme, what you end up with for wedding choices are much different than you originally expected." 

Tip 1. Don't feel bad about what you like.  If your thing is roses, go with it!  It's what makes you, you. Trust me you and your guests will "get it" if everything is consistent and goes well together.  You'll also feel less overwhelmed by all the stuff out there to sift through. If you were to go with a theme like this, you could deck out your invites with roses, have an all rose bouquet and find a gown covered in roses!  Don't be ashamed of it, embrace it.

Elihav Sasson 2012 Bridal Collection

1920's Hollywood Glam was the inspiration for this collection by Elihav Sasson. There's lots of beading, lace and feminine details in this hint-of-lingerie look.

Almost all the looks in this collection tend to be sleeveless despite the current trend of sleeves, boleros and other more modest looks.

If you love the look of satin, beading and traditional Wedding Gowns, this collection is definitely for you.

Need some color inspiration for your wedding?

via fizzyblog

If you're in need of some big color inspiration and you're totally in love with the spring and summer fashion lines coming out in 2012, you're in luck!  I've been tirelessly searching and putting together a fun, cheerful and funky inspiration board for you.  It's for a carnival inspired wedding, but the bright colors are great for any exotic color themed wedding or tropical destination wedding you might be planning.

via pinterest

"A carnival themed wedding is all about fun.  The colors are bright, bold and cheerful.  Think teals & turquoise paired with orange and fuchsia."

The food and decor should be just as fun as the colors.  Instead of a big towering wedding cake, instead try a dessert bar with fun foods (carnival finds like fried dough/funnel cakes) or bright pink whoopie pies with rainbow sprinkles.

2012 Wedding Trend Predictions

photo via: bridalcookie

Want to know what Wedding Trends will be hot in 2012?  I've compiled my top 10 predictions for this years big ideas.

1. Smaller guest lists for a more lavish wedding. When you have a smaller group, you can spend more money per person (aka you're wedding looks extravagant and you can spoil your guests!)
2. Making your wedding a weekend event with a post-wedding brunch and scheduling fun local activities
3. Different Centerpieces. Rather than doing a tall epic centerpiece of flowers,think out-of-the-box like hanging centerpieces.
4. Hand-painted watercolor wedding invitations.  Think gorgeous florals and fruits cascading down your invitations all hand-painted.  Posh Parties is available for this service.

Win a wedding gown contest

Ever dreamed of being an Enzoani Bride? Now you have the chance to win the gown of your dreams!

Vintage Style Glamour

From Movie W.E.

I think that Hollywood is starting to finally realize that everyone is sick and tire of the same old regurgitated story lines at the theaters. The biggest box office hits are more original plot lines and historically interesting figures.


I'm quite happy about this as we get to see some beautiful set designs, story lines and fashion.  The above photo is from the movie W.E. about King Edward who gave up the throne to marry Wallis Simpson, an American woman who was twice divorced (scandalous at the time).  She was known for her slender figure and homely face. She put her figure to good use as she was always dressed beautifully and fashion forward. 

She didn't capture the attention of men from her looks, but from her fashion sense and how put together she was.

You have to love the woman that coined the phrase, "You can never be too rich or too thin".

In keeping with inspiration from vintage fashion, I've put together many gorgeous bridal gowns with inspiration from the 30's on up to the 50's. 

And the Winner Is.....

The winner of the Bachelorette Party giveaway is Alica Cohick!  Congratulations!  Please private message me with your details so I can mail you your kit.

thank you to everyone that entered the contest.  I hope to have many more soon!

So In love with Vintage Garters

Emily Riggs Bridal "Vintage"

I spotted these beautiful lace and rhinestone bridal garters today and fell in love.

If you're sick of all the cheap polyester mass-produced garters (probably from a sweatshop in China) that you find everywhere, this is a lovely change.

Emily Riggs Bridal "Trousseau"

The site also has other lovely lace and jewel encrusted baubles for you to wear on your special day. 

Bachelorette Party Ideas

Since I recently posted about my fun day with my girls at Truro Vineyards, I thought it would be nice to put together a list of activities to do with your girls if you're planning a Bachelorette party.

If you're looking for some fun things to do with the girls, here's a list of some fun ideas:

• Pub Crawl (make up t-shirts & have games to play at each stop!)
• Do a City Scavenger Hunt (Have a lead person make a map with things you need to collect at each stop.  Whichever girl/group finishes first with the most stuff wins!)
•  Have a Spa Day (Either book a place or do at-home pampering with drinks, music and lots of options)
• Visit a Vineyard/ Winery and spend the day sipping and taking notes.
• Booze Cruise: Make sure you get one with a band/dj, food & drinks!  This actually is a great idea if you're doing a combo bachelor / bachelorette party.  I used this for a friend getting married that was stumped on what to do for a combo party.
• Male Encounters: If you want to embarass your friend or just have fun with the girls, this can be a funny thing to go to (especially when you see the little old ladies having fun!)
• Ceramics painting party: Lots of these places let you book a table ahead of time and bring your own wine.  You all grab a cast piece to paint (from plates, to mugs & more) and enjoy chatting and painting your pottery however you want.  They fire it for you and you get a nice piece to use in your home or give as a gift!  Note:  It's really nice if all the girls collectively purchase pieces in a set and paint them to give to the bride to be.  She'll have a collection of say--desert plates from all her maids that are hers to cherish.

Cyber Monday Wedding Deals & Steals!

Are you a Bride Looking for a great deal?  If you're a bargan shopper, Cyber Monday may be your chance to snag some great deals on that stuff for your wedding?

• Shop for all kinds of things on Overstock and get 10% off by clicking here
• Macy's get free shipping at $75 + save money with online deals.  Use code CYBER
• Custom Made Handbags & more  Get 30% off + free shipping.  Makes a great gift for bridesmaids, Mother of the Bride, Mother of the Groom & Flowergirls! Use Code CYBER11
•  Every shoe displayed on this page can be purchased on Amazon. Just click on them!  Get Black Friday Deals today by entering SHOECM11 at Checkout. You'll save 25% off shoes that are $75 or more and 30% off shoes that are $150 or more!
• Oriental Trading has lots of black friday deals today plus free shipping and a $10 gift card when you spend $59 or more!  Enter code WCE2507 at checkout to get this deal! 

Cheap centerpiece vase DIY project

The bonding glue

A completed wedding arrangement vase

Having been to many weddings where the bride decides on an arrangement that's too tall to talk over, I knew I wanted something that was shorter, but still elegant. Also, my fear was that a tall arrangement would be quite expensive.

Another way for me to cut costs, (while still being able to give my guests the arrangements) was to do the bases myself.

New Look Coming Soon....stay tuned!

A big announcement for our avid readers! Thank you for your support and love. I hope to grow this blog to be one of the biggest on the web for all things fun, fabulous and event related.

I hope you'll pardon the appearance of this blog as it becomes more fabulous!  I'm redoing the design and hopefully adding lots of relevant links to other blogs and vendors in the near future.  To expand and grow I hope to reach out to the Wedding and Event community and showcase at some of the local wedding and bridal showcases.

To further make this blog fabulous, I hope to make the site easier to navigate and cleaner.

Boston Brides take two big hits in a couple of months

Brides trying on gowns at the Running of the Brides

We were all disappointed to hear that the fantastic designer house, Pricilla of Boston was going out of business. This high end designer Bridal Boutique was a luxurious and well-loved fixture in the Boston Bridal scene. While many of their gowns were priced well out of reach of Brides on a budget, Boston Brides always had another source for beautiful designer gowns, for a fraction of the cost; The Running of the Brides.

A Pink and Navy Autumn wedding

Happy Halloween Everyone! Boy do I have a Treat for you!  It's a Pink and Navy Autumn wedding. This wedding took place in Gloucester, MA at the Ocean View Inn.

When we met with the fantastic Andrew Kubika of Stay Focused Photography (the talent behind the fabulous photos), we knew he was the perfect personality for our wedding.  He was fun and of course, he took some fantastic photos. His motto is "creatively capturing your most important moments". I'd say that's perfect for his photojournalistic style.

What was this wedding like?  It was a little bit of tradition and a whole lot of fun. Dig into that big bowl of candy and enjoy the Talented Mr. Kubika.

Our Wedding Menu

My husband lovingly refered to my enhancement of all wedding paper products as "be-dazzling".  One of my guests laughed when she was at the wedding. "The way he was talking, I was expecting everything completely covered in rhinestones."
I simply afixed 1 rhinestone to these menus on the end of the "swirl" of the M in menu.
If you got a chance to see my invitations, I added rhinestones to the bottom of the anchor points and 1 in the top loop of the anchor.  Nothing was over-the-top blinged out.  I'd say it was understated and made my nautical wedding a bit more feminine.

Not only did I think our Menu's were delightful, the food at our wedding was fantastic!  Not many people can say this.  Our salad was perfectly dressed and every entree was delicious.