Kentucky Derby Party

Hi Everyone,

I haven't posted a party in a while and I wanted to give you an update.  I'm planning my first ever Kentucky Derby Party!  While I'd definitely be considered a Yankee, I've always loved the idea of the Derby.  There's something very romantic and traditional about it all.  (Plus to tell you the truth I wanted an excuse to wear a big ridiculous hat...I mean when else would you ever get to do that? )  

So with that in mind, I set upon designing a lovely Kentucky Derby Party.  Now the Derby motto is "Run for the Roses" and many parties show bright red roses, however I'm not really a fan of red roses.  When I think of Southern Charm and delicate flowers I think pastels, pinks, etc.  The Derby also takes place in late spring, so I wanted colors that were feminine yet had a bit of pop to them.  My palette has been Pinks, Purples and Golds.

I designed a floral pattered background and used it for my envelope liners as well as my menu background.

I wanted to do a menu inspired by Kentucky Derby staples, as well as other foods that represented springtime.  It's so nice when coming out of the dark and cold winter to have something bright and joyful.  I built a menu that was fun, feminine and delicious while holding onto the Kentucky Derby theme.

For Appetizers a bruschetta with bright ripe and juicy strawberries would be perfect for spring.  To add more springtime joy, I added an edible flower salad with poppyseed dressing.

I decided upon afternoon tea for the main course.  The selection of tea sandwiches will be a mix of cucumber, tuna, chicken and lox.

For dessert petit fours, cookies, scones and Kentucky Bourbon Cake

Beverages had to include mint juleps.  I also found out about another drink called Oaks Lilly punch which seemed much more lady friendly than the sometimes strong mint julep.

Want more inspiration?  Check out my Pinterest board Here

A November Wedding in Maine

I was lucky enough to be able to help plan for this very special intimate wedding that took place in November at the York Harbor Inn in Maine.  This couple was just wonderful to work with and the little details of this wedding were absolutely lovely.

 

 The reception was breathtaking as the room was lit entirely by candlelight...

Real Wedding - Carrie & Paul coming soon!

Hey Readers!

Guess what I've got lined up for you? A Real Wedding coming soon!  Stay tuned as I post photos of the event held at the York Harbor Inn in York, ME.

The Bride & Groom were a wonderful couple to work with.  It was a very intimate wedding of around 35 people on the gorgeous New England coastline.

Check back often to see some of my posts of this lovely soiree and the beautiful details that made it a success!  Congratulations Carrie & Paul - November 4th, 2012

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.

Reinvent standard Wedding foods to go upscale on a budget

Everyone's been to the wedding that has the standard cocktail hour fare.  The cheese, crackers, chips and dip in a giant pile on a table.  All the guests idly pick, waiting for the good stuff to come out....

You need to feed your guests and your on a budget. What is a bride to do?

When items like bacon wrapped scallops are out of your price range, what do you do?  It's simple, just take the boring old stuff and make it exciting.  It's all about turning the ordinary into the extraordinary to make your guests remember your wedding.

If you're having an at-home wedding reception you can save big time on costs.  One of the most expensive parts of your wedding will be feeding and liquoring-up your guests. Doing something low-key and at home will reduce costs significantly when you remove the rental fee.  Now, what to do about that boring food display?

One of the coolest ideas I recently stumbled upon was turning everyday h'ourderves and food displays into cosmopolitan foods that your guests will clamor for.  The best part is it's completely within your budget and looks high-end.

Uncle Bubba's Crab Martini

Idea 1: A Salad-Tini Bar
What you'll need: disposable martini glasses, Salad stuff (lettuce, tomatoes, croutons, etc.), a mixologist (this can be your neighbors kid that wants $50 for the night), a large cocktail shaker, pretty bowls and a makeshift bar (just cover any high table with a tablecloth or rent a portable bar.
What to do: Have guests get in line and have them point out what items they'd like in their salad.  The mixologist will add the items to the cocktail shaker, mix it up and pour it into a martini glass.  Viola! you have an amazing looking display your guests won't stop talking about, and it's just salad.

via

Idea 2: Cocktail Fruit (or how to get your guests drunk on a budget)
Shelling out the money for booze is up there in the budget buster for a wedding.  You've already heard about the one signature cocktail or limiting your alcohol to just beer and wine, but what else can you do to bring down the costs and slow the line down at the bar?