Brides for the Cure!

Brides for the Cure is finally here! I cannot wait to see all of the brides who turn out to raise money for Susan G Komen. I will be away from my computer tomorrow, but will be back in the office first thing Monday morning. I'll see all of you Saturday! Good luck, I hope you win some fabulous prizes for your wedding!

Hair Do?

How should you do your hair on your wedding day? It is a big question! Some girls are just not veil brides! I was one of these girls and opted for a jeweled hair piece similar to the photo on the top left. There are so many options:
You should choose the style that fits you. You want to look like you at your most beautiful! If you never wear your hair in a bun, you shouldn't do it for your wedding. Add clips, flowers, or a veil that fits the style & formality of your wedding.

If you're really brave, you could go with a bird like Carrie Bradshaw!

How to Change Your Name

I like to make sure that my brides are prepared for everything. One thing a lot of girls don't know how to begin is the process of changing your name. This is the information that I give my brides to help them along in the process:

Before the wedding:

1. Make arrangements with your job so that your email and business cards will be updated upon your return to work.

2. Tell your bridesmaids & family what your plans are so that they may pass along the information to any planning on giving you a personalized gift.

3. Make your honeymoon reservations using your MAIDEN name. You will not be able to change your driver’s license or passport until you return, so your tickets need to match your travel documents.

After the wedding:

1. Get a new social security card.

a. Once you have your marriage license (which may take a couple of weeks), download the form from the social security website.

b. Take this completed form to the Social Security offices along with your marriage license and your ID to get a new card.

2. Get a new driver’s license.

a. Most DMV offices will change your driver’s license if you present a copy of your marriage license. Others require you to also present your new social security card.

b. Check with your local DMV for their requirements.

3. Change the paperwork at your office.

a. Visit your office’s HR or finance department again with your new social security card to change the name on all of your financial information (i.e. payroll & tax deductions)

b. For everyone else, including: the bank, insurance policies, credit cards, utility companies, and membership organizations, type up a letter with all of your information on it. This letter should contain instructions to change your name along with your name, address, new name, account number, and possibly your social security number. Include with the letter a copy of your marriage license.

4. Don’t forget to order new checks & credit cards.

Finishing Touch is Crazy about Ranunculus!

We used this gorgeous flower in Lyndi & Tony's wedding last weekend and couldn't have been happier with it! It was absolutely stunning! The perfect spiral blooms come from the same family as a peony. They're a smaller bloom, but just as beautiful! Available in a variety of colors, this flower is perfect for any wedding in any season! I personally love the bright orange variety.
Order yours today from Fifty Flowers!
We'll be posting photos of the amazing bouquets & boutonnieres we created for Lyndi using this perfect bloom as soon as possible! Check back in a couple of weeks.

Real Wedding Sneak Peak - Lyndi & Tony

As promised, here's the sneak peak of Lyndi & Tony's gorgeous garden elegance wedding from Saturday, April 18th. Keep in mind, these photos are taken by me - the quality & color is poor. I'll have professional photos up in 2 weeks.

The huge reception area was tented with globe lights to make the space feel smaller. It did the trick and created a beautiful effect!

Head table centerpiece: faux mazanita branch adorned with strands of crystals in a black pot tied with pink ribbon.

Centerpieces: white hydrangeas, pink ranunculus, pink spray roses, green hyacinth berries in a rose bowl lined with large green ti leaf.

Pink lemonade in glass dispenser tied with a gorgeous ranunculus bloom.

Food labels were designed to compliment the couples invitations.

The wedding cake with fondant icing was adorned with pink spray roses & topped with the couple's crystal embellished monogram.

The groom's cakes were adorable! 3 small two tiered cakes with buttercream icing were adorned with pink spray roses. In honor of his latin american heritage, the cakes said "You Have My Love Forever" in Spanish.

We set up a beautiful candy buffet for their guests to enjoy. It was a big hit with the children! And it looked gorgeous.

Check back in a couple of weeks to see the stunning professional photos by Brian Armas Photography.

Lyndi & Tony are married!

In a touching ceremony performed by Lyndi's grandfather, the bride & groom were married at the Church at Pinnacle Hills in Rogers, Arkansas yesterday afternoon. Their garden elegance wedding was absolutely stunning!
The bride looked radiant in a beautiful strapless gown and carried a bouquet of pink and white peonies, roses, and stock. Her bridesmaids wore custom made black silk dupioni dresses and carried gorgeous pink of ranunculus, spray roses, and green hyacinth berries.
The photobooth guestbook was a huge hit! Lyndi & Tony's friends and family left photos for them and took home a second set of the photos as a momento of the day.

Lyndi and Tony are two amazing people. You deserve all of the happiness in the world. It was truly a pleasure to work with you and your family and friends. Have a wonderful honeymoon!

Overall the wedding was absolutely stunning. I cannot wait to post the pictures! They should be up in 2 weeks. Check back!

A Silhouette Wedding

I could design an entire wedding around silhouettes and this is the perfect place to start: Cut Arts. Recently featured by Style Me Pretty, Cut Arts creates amazing silhouettes that are customized specifically for you. Have them create a silhouette of you and your fiance to have framed at the wedding, or hire them to create silhouettes for each of your guests as the greatest favor ever!Karl, of Cut Arts, is truly an artist. Each silhouette that he creates is cut entirely by hand, and can be done in person or from a photograph. Prices start at only $25 for a 5 x7 seven silhouette! This is an amazingly affordable wedding accent that will hang in your home as art for years to come. Karl is also available for hire at your wedding to create silhouettes for your guests. What a fabulous favor!

Spring Favorite: Peonies

There is no denying the appeal of the beautiful, delicate Peony. It is a gorgeous flower that is perfect for weddings because there are so many different varieties. I'll be using them in the bridal bouquet for a wedding this weekend. Photos to come soon.

It's hard to believe these are all the same flower.

A bouquet of all Peonies.

Peonies mixed with Sweet Peas

Named after the Greek God of healing & medicine, it is also a beautiful gift to someone recovering from an injury or illness.

Whimsy and Spice: Delicious Creations!

Whimsy and Spice is a fabulous company, based out of Brooklyn, New York. They create the most amazing sweets that are perfect for your wedding. The candy buffet has been done. Update that idea by using their delicious and beautiful desserts to create a modern dessert bar!

top, left: Cinnamon Chocolate Malt Biscotti, $8.00/10 pieces.
top, center: Chocolate Marshmallows, $6.00/a dozen.
top, right: Espresso Brownies with Dulce de Leche, $8.00/4 pieces.
bottom, left: Caramel Marshmallows, $6.00/a dozen.
bottom, center: Chocolate Butterscotch Bars, $9.00/4 pieces.
bottom, right: Brown Sugar Gingerspice Shortbread Cookies, $8.00/a dozen.
*my favorite!

Or use their delicious homemade marshmallows to create a fabulous hot chocolate bar - the perfect addition to a winter wedding!
These treats can serve as desserts at the reception and as favors. Set outmonogrammed boxes for guests to take home these gorgeous sweets to enjoy later.

New Obsession: Custom Wedding Maps

The title of this post says it all. I am completely obsessed with these fun, fabulous wedding maps by Laura Hooper Calligraphy. They're custom designed for your day with specific locations that you'll visit during your wedding festivities & other fun places you suggest for your guests to visit on their own.
These are especially helpful for a destination wedding. I wish I had known about them for my big day! Include them in your invitations or welcome baskets. Your guests are sure to love them and they make an amazing keepsake for you, your family, and your friends!

Brighten Up!

This is a wonderful wedding to begin the Spring & Summer wedding seasons! The sunny colors will definitely make you smile. See all of the information on this gorgeous event at Pacific Weddings.

Gorgeous Bridal Portraits

When choosing a photographer, most will include either an engagement session, or bridal portraits, or both in their packages. Engagement sessions are fantastic, but bridal portraits are something different all together. They are art!
Here are just a few of my favorites from fabulous local photographers:

Hudson Photography, Fayetteville, AR. Packages begin at $2,995.

Aus10 Photography, Siloam Springs, AR. Packages begin at $2,950.

Benfield Photography, Fayetteville, AR. Packages begin at $1,499.

Brian Armas Photography, Rogers, AR. Packages begin at $2,000.

Midsummer Night's Dream

This inspiration board was created by Finishing Touch for a June bride whose wedding has been created around a gorgeous Midsummer Night's Dream theme. It is going to be stunning! I cannot wait to post the actual photos, but until then...feast your eyes on the inspiration board.

top, left: custom chuppah designed by Finishing Touch - made of real trees, draped with black fabric, and adorned with flower & moss.
top, right: Sweetheart table - overflowing with moss and arrangements of roses of every color.
2nd row, left: Guestbook table decor - terrariums created within apothecary jars containing moss, ferns, butterflies, and dragonflies.
2nd row, center: a collage of the flowers chosen - purple anemone, orange freesia, black magic roses, orange roses, purple and orange orchids.
2nd row, right: Proposed centerpiece design - antique birdcages adorned with moss, candles, and a variety of flowers, accented with a crystal butterfly or dragonfly.
3rd row, center: The perfect fabric from Imagine Fabrics online. It is the perfect combination of a modern & whimsical.
bottom, left: Black bridesmaid dress. This one can be found at Dillards.
bottom, center/left: Proposed cake design - 3 small, 2 tiered cakes all adorned with the flowers used throughout the wedding.
bottom, center/right: Photobooth favors & guestbook. Local photobooth rentals can be found through Dancenhance Entertainment in Fayetteville, AR.
bottom, right: Suggested invitation from Wedding Paper Divas.

Shiny Black Accessories

I love the way a white table top looks with black accessories! Here are just a few of my favorites:

top, left: Rosanna Rococo Noir Tea Pot, $35.00
-Fill with flowers for a fantastic centerpiece!
top, right: Black Glass Urn, $13.00
-another gorgeous centerpiece container.
bottom, left: Rosanna Rococo Noir Cake Pedestals - Medium, $42.00; Large, $45.00
-perfect for cake pedestals, cupcake towers, or dessert table serveware.
bottom, right: Creamer/Sugar Set, $30.00; Rosanna Rococo Noir Small Cake Pedestal, $35.00

All of the above items can be found at Soul of the Rose.

I love these black acrylic candelabras. They're modern, sleek, and really make a statement. $11.99 each from Shindigz.com.