Winter White Wedding

I will admit it, I loathe cold weather.  Yes, I enjoy the hustle and bustle of the holiday season and I love curling up by the fire and sipping hot chocolate (with a splash of mint Baileys) but I hate the chill of the season.  Even though I dread the cold winter months, I do enjoy looking at the snow from the comfort of the warm indoors.  I have always loved the way snow blankets the ground in white and rests on tree branches and seeing icicles dripping off houses as snow sprinkles children building a snowman is a scene straight out of a story book.  I can appreciate the beauty that winter brings, even if I don’t enjoy the wind and frigid temperatures that come with.

The beauty of fresh fallen snow always reminds me of one of my favorite wedding pallets: white.  You may think that an all white wedding would be stark and boring, but the simplicity of it makes the white wedding glamorous and chic.  These weddings are simple, versatile, very unique and can work in any season.  White tulips are fresh yet sophisticated in the spring, various flowers in monochromatic tones bring texture and a clean look to a summer celebration, and crystals accompany a white winter perfectly.  Not every couple can pull off an all white wedding and there are only a handful of venues that can hold up to this look, but if you dare to try your wedding could be stunning.

Martha Stewart Weddings

Holiday Elf

This week’s sneak peek is not wedding related, mostly because I didn’t get to do any wedding related work this weekend. We had a sick member of the family this weekend and a lot of time was spent at the vet, giving out meds and resting. Our Chocolate Lab Payton was not feeling well and an emergency trip to the ER during the wee hours of the night left me wiped out.

Although I didn’t get much done this weekend I wouldn’t call it an unproductive weekend. I got to spend time with my puppies and husband and actually sat through an entire football game. Sometimes it’s nice to take a couple days to be thankful for what you have and spend time with the people (and pets) who mean the most to you.

Sorry I don’t have any pretty wedding pictures for you today but hopefully my holiday elf will make up for it.

Are you Staying Together the Night Before the Wedding?

Via Snippet & Ink

With couples living together more and more before marriage the night before the wedding has changed a bit. While the bride used to stay at her parents’ home (she typically lived there until her wedding night) today’s bride may stay at a home she shares with her husband.

The tradition of bride and groom avoiding each other before the ceremony began when arranged marriages were common. It was thought to be a bad idea to let the groom see his bride before the partnership was legally binding in fear that he might back out. This turned into the idea that seeing each other the night before the wedding was bad luck.

Today’s bride might not believe that staying together is bad luck but there is an argument to be made for catching some z’s together and sleeping separately. It may not be bad luck to see each other before the ceremony but staying apart the night before your big day might be beneficial in other ways. If you tend to argue when you are stressed out it may be best to go your separate ways. You might also want to experience the anticipation of not seeing each other on your wedding day until your big walks down the aisle. Or maybe you want to spend your last night as a single gal (yes, I just said gal) with your bridesmaids, calming your nerves by chatting and laughing with those closest to you. Some brides want to spend a few hours to themselves, meditating, soaking in a bubble bath, or just enjoying a few calm hours before the big party.

Now, I am not trying to argue that you should stay separately the night before your wedding. Some couples find that staying together is the way to go. You can calm each other’s nerves, and spend your last night single … together. If you live together and your typical routine is a kiss before bed and an “I love you” in the morning then it may seem odd to wake up without your partner. After all, Aunt Merrill was already upset you were living in sin, one night is not going to change her mind.

So forget good luck, ignore bad luck, don’t listen to what others say and do what feels right to you.

A New Take on the Old Rehearsal Dinner

Via Style Me Pretty

The rehearsal dinner kicks off the party … I mean it sets the tone for the beautiful day before you.  I adore rehearsal dinners, they are the perfect place to relax before the big day, visit with your closest friends and family and let loose a little.

The rehearsal itself is great practice and I honestly believe that couples should not skip this run through.  I also feel that the rehearsal dinner can be an important part of the celebration.

The rehearsal dinner serves many functions: it thanks those who have helped you with your big day, it brings everyone together so that those who have not met can be more comfortable with each other, it is a smaller celebration where you can spend more one on one time with guests than you can at the reception, and the rehearsal dinner is a great way to kick back and relax at a time that can be very stressful.

In the last year I have seen a largely growing trend of more personal and sometimes casual rehearsal dinners and I see this trend extending into 2011 weddings as well.  Couples are choosing a rehearsal “theme” that fits their personalities.  I have been a part of some beautiful rehearsals in the past but the most meaningful ones are typically more personal.  Couples can opt for a New England Clam Bake feel, a Mexican Fiesta or a Family BBQ with Dad’s famous ribs.  These rehearsals are aesthetically beautiful but have a more laid back feel for your guests.  It is a great way to get people mingling and having fun and the couple gets to enjoy some of their favorite foods.  Did I mention that this option is usually a quarter of the cost of a traditional rehearsal?  To be fair, they are usually a little more work but if you have a great friend or two (or a wedding planner) that is willing to help, it should be fine.

I don’t think that this trend is right for everyone and dinner at the local country club makes for an elegant and traditional rehearsal but the casual Rehearsal Dinner can be a fun and inviting start to your wedding weekend.

It’s Not Easy Being Green

Today’s Post comes from Laurel Flannery, owner of Bloom Floral and Event Design.  Laurel’s fresh approach to wedding floral design incorporates local product and a green philosophy.  Here is what Laurel had to say about an Eco-friendly wedding.

Photo by Spotswood Photography

When it comes to eco-friendly weddings and decor, we tend to think of casual, picnic style weddings with mason jars filled with wildflowers.  While this is a lovely option for using locally grown flowers and recycled vessels, there are plenty of ways to up the “wow” factor without compromising your eco-conscious wedding.

Decor and details are where you can find unique and stylish opportunities to infuse your environmental and social values into your wedding day.  Consider your color pallet. Color matters more in the overall look of your event than individual flowers.  You don’t have to feel stuck on “weddingy flowers” such as roses and calla lilies because that is what seems to be in most bridal bouquets.

Photo by Capture Photography

Consider a theme.  Not an in-your-face birthday party theme, but a subtle feeling your decor will produce.  For example a “Tuscan Vineyard” theme wedding could use cut wine bottles as vases with locally grown flowers, grasses and herbs.

Using locally grown, in season flowers is an environmentally responsible choice and will open up a world of floral options that you may have never considered.   Choose an environmentally conscious florist that understands your vision and values.  Together, you can create an event that will be visually unforgettable.

Photo by Capture Photography

Thanks Laurel!  Check out Blooms web site here her arrangements are always beautiful!!

Should We Cut The Cake?

Image Via Mathieu Photography

There are countless pictures of brides and grooms cutting cake together. The tradition makes for some sweet pictures (or funny in some cases) but why do we do it?

The cake cutting ceremony started as a tradition of breaking bread over a bride’s head. Guests would scramble for crumbs of the bread that symbolized fertility. As the guest lists for weddings grew so did the bread and it became the tasty cake many now think of as the quintessential wedding dessert. The cutting of the cake began as a task that the bride took on solo. As the hostess of the party, it was her job to cut and serve the cake to her guests. As cakes became larger, thicker icing was needed to support multiple layers and cutting the cake grew into a job that the new Mr. and Mrs. took on together.

The tradition is now seen as the couple’s first task to complete together as partners. I don’t know about you but I think cutting cake is a pretty enjoyable task. So, if you choose to carry on this tradition, at least you know that your first chore together will be a success!

Feeding one another cake is thought to symbolize your promise to provide for one another. I am not sure that shoving cake in someone’s face is really a vow to keep them fed and with a roof over their head but it’s a nice thought.

The cake cutting is also traditionally a cue to guests that it is alright for them to excuse themselves from the festivities. However, this idea is not widely used today as couples can choose to cut the cake whenever they like.

Whether you serve cake, pie, cheese cake or cupcakes, its up to you to cut it as a couple or pass on the tradition all together.

Sarah and Andy

Sarah and Andy are complete opposites, and it works perfectly! 

This couple loves their friends and family, and knows how to throw one mean party! The reception was at the beautiful Villa Terrace here in Milwaukee with a beer filled bash at Lakefront Brewery that followed. I will dish all of the chartreuse and chocolate details in their Wedding Details post.

Sarah is a Speech Pathologist and Andy is in Sales. Their home is decorated in calming neutrals, and inviting modern décor. I believe that your personal style should carry into your wedding style and Sarah’s wedding was seamlessly modern and inviting at the same time.

Sarah and Andy dated for … well as one of the groomsmen put it “longer then Facebook has been around” and you could tell they have been best friends for many years. Sarah knows how to ummmm, keep Andy on track and Andy is always making Sarah laugh. Their humor and comfort with each other created some great engagement shots. Here are the results.

 All Images captured by Spotswood Photography

Mossy Green Macaroons

Jessica and Matt are an adorable couple, she is a kindergarten teacher and he is in sales. They are the type of couple that finishes each other’s sentences and are always smiling. It would make you sick if they weren’t so dang sweet!

Jessica is in love with weddings … almost as in love as I am. She is very organized and really wants to personalize every aspect of their celebration.

Matt and Jessica’s Wedding Day will be covered in rustic elegance and even though the reception will be in an old barn and the ceremony under a huge old tree, the day will be full of chic touches. Jessica is a sucker for details (my kind of lady!!) and her pre-wedding festivities are no exception. From her showers and Bridesmaid Parties, to the Rehearsal Dinner, every detail has been carefully planned and I can’t wait to execute the whole shebang!

Today’s Peek of the Week comes from Jessica’s first bridal shower. I helped Jessica and the MOG create a shower that truly reflected her Wedding Day vision. The shower went off without a hitch and the ladies loved the dessert display that my team created. The wedding will be full of mossy greens, pale pinks and earthy browns and the shower was washed in the same hues. Although the couple’s colors don’t translate as beautifully into pastries, the results were still gorgeous … and delicious!

Here is a picture of the macaroons packed up and ready for their ride to the shower. Jessica and Matt, you will be a beautiful couple and we can’t wait for the big day!

The Veil

Veils seem to be the cherry on the bridal sundae.  A veil makes the white dress completely bridal and pictures of your Grandma, Great-Grandma and your Mother on their wedding day, complete with cathedral veil, flood through your mind.  With feathers and flowers in side swept hair, crystal headbands and even birdcage veils in style right now, it can be hard to resist.  But the veil can also be a major decision that brides struggle with.

The more weddings become personalized, the less I see veils.  They just don’t seem right to some brides but the decision usually comes with a struggle between mind and heart.  The decision to wear or to forgo a veil can be stressful.  The wedding headpiece is so deeply rooted in what we think of as the quintessential bridal garb that it can be hard to let go of, even if you know that a veil is not your style. 

So, how did the veil make its stake on the wedding day anyway?  It was originally used in the Greek culture to keep the bride from evil spirits and was usually red, not white.  The veil also hid brides in arranged marriages so that the groom did not see her face.  In more recent history the veil symbolizes modesty, obedience and virginity.

If you are a bride struggling to make this decision, if you are agonizing over what your Mom and Grandma will think, then consider the tradition behind it.  Is the meaning behind the veil something that resonates with you?  If not, it may be easier to ditch tradition and go veil-less. 

If you find that you are not tied to the origin of the veil but to the tradition shared between generations of women, then this choice may still be a difficult one.  There are options if you don’t want to wear a veil but still want to hold the women before you close on your wedding day.  You could take a piece of your Mother’s veil and have it wrapped around your bouquet or pin it to the inside of your dress for your something borrowed.  In the end, it is your choice and you can redecorate the tradition of the veil however you choose.

Best of the Knot

This weekend my team and I reached out to brides that we have worked with in the past to get our referrals going online. Tailored Engagements is fairly new to the Knot and we have not pushed for referrals in the past.

The knot is currently holding their annual Best of the Knot awards and companies that get great reviews will be honored with the Best of the Knot title. I used this as motivation to ask my brides for their help and we already have a few reviews posted!

Thanks to the brides who took time to help out! Thank you also to the brides who plan on posting reviews before the December 3rd deadline! Current brides … you can just skip this post but we may be hitting you up about this time next year.

To post a review click here.

Wish us luck!