Event Expo :: My Favorite Things

I wandered through the different sections of the expo. While the food is great, and the venues are nice, my favorite part is always the event design portion. Here are a few photos from my favorite displays of the day.

I just posted about chandeliers a few weeks ago, and how they're a hot for events right now....so it's no surprise that my favorite display of the day showcased these awesome black chandeliers!



This was a favorite for two reasons; (A) because of the color, and (B) because of the sparkle. It was the first thing I saw when I came around the corner and the first place I went.



Michael Cerbelli talked about these during his presentation, and I absolutely loved them. Clear candelabras that are taken apart into panels for slim shipping, and they are totally see-through! You can have your candles and bouquet of flowers in a grand centerpiece, all without obstructing your guest's view. And bonus, you can add LED lighting in any color underneath for a wow-effect!

Event Expo :: Michael Cerbelli

I attended the Event Expo at House of Blues again this year, and again I left completely inspired and full of new ideas. There's no way I can fit everything I want to share in one blog post, so I'm splitting it up into a few.

First off, Michael Cerbelli is fantastic. He is entertaining, completely real, and he always shares the best information! He covered 33 different products and services that are available for events and I can't wait to incorporate these ideas with some of my clients! I'm going to pick some of my favorite things to share on the blog, but first here's a few photos (and a video) from Michael Cerbelli's presentation at Pickwick & Frolic.

Custom Eco-Chic Wooden Goodies

With a passion for fine craftsmanship, detail & the environment, Alan Henderson and Jennifer Tatham went out on a limb to start Night Owl Paper Goods, a stationery company devoted to creating handmade letterpress cards and eco-chic wooden goodies. Their products range from cards and invitations, to journals and notebooks, to many other unique gifts.

If you're like me, you're thinking "Wow, a box of wooden invitations sounds heavy. Wonder what shipping costs?" Shipping is only $5 on all US orders. They even offer DIY packages if you're so inclined. If you're looking for an eco-friendly alternative for your wedding stationery, this site is a definite must-see!

Eco-Bar :: Organic Cocktails

ECO-BAR is the hot-spot to learn about new eco-friendly products, highlighting organic spirits, wineries, breweries and mixers introducing the newest organic libations.

For $95, their new Custom Cocktail Creator will help you create a cocktail that is based on your tastes, event, favorite color and your overall personality. What a fun way to offer a memorable cocktail for your guests at your wedding, corporate event or party!

Eco-Friendly Wedding Planning Tips & Links

Insightful tips for planning your own green wedding!

- Use recycled paper wherever possible for wedding invitations, programs and other paper items; most companies can offer this option. Also consider treeless paper made from materials such as bamboo, hemp and kenaf. Even the type of ink used for the invitation should be taken into account as some inks can be toxic.

- No matter what other choices you make, the biggest factor in the ecological and financial impact of your wedding will be its size. The cold hard fact is that each person you invite means more miles traveled, more food consumed, a bigger venue, and more waste when it's all over.

- Where possible, use an organic catering company that sources local ingredients. Minimize the amount of meat on the menu and maximize the use of in season fruit, vegetables and local dairy products.

- Flowers used at weddings and receptions have a tendency to be out of season and therefore imported. Transportation and care of these flowers requires extra resources. Try to use locally sourced flowers. Perhaps use potted flowers as these can make a great addition to your home or garden after the big event.

- When selecting a venue, also consider where your guests will be traveling from. Try and find a middle point if possible. The less your guest have to travel, the cheaper for them and the less oil consumed.

- If you decide to hold the event indoors, try and select a venue that makes the best use of natural light.

- Everyone likes a photographic record of a marriage ceremony, so instead of sending out hundreds of paper based photographs, save on postage, processing and toxic chemicals by storing digital images on your wedding blog for family and friends to download as they please; printing out only what's absolutely necessary.

- Weddings can generate all sorts of well-intentioned but unwanted gifts. Consider setting up a green wedding gift registry; which is basically just a wish list of earth friendly products you'd like.

- Ask for no gifts be purchased, but donations made to your favorite charities or environmental groups.

- For wedding favors, i.e. gifts you give to guests, make those earth friendly too; a donation on the guest's behalf, a tree planted in their name or a gift basket of green products.

- Instead of having paper confetti, rice or seed, use flower petal confetti as a beautiful and easily biodegradable option.


Here are some helpful links with more information on how to become more eco-friendly in your wedding and every day life:

Earth Day 2010
Calculate your Carbon Footprint
Great Green Wedding
Green Living Tips
Green Wedding Slices
The Green Bride Guide


Check your local library or book store for these great guides to green weddings!

Freeze Dried Eco-Friendly Rose Petals

Freeze dried rose petals are a natural, eco-friendly choice for adding a touch of romance to any occasion. With proper care, freeze dried petals can last months...even years! They are preferred by most venues because they are biodegradable, won't stain and are non-slippery under normal conditions.







Amy Nixon Events offers these freeze dried petals in over 100 colors. Choose from roses, peony, lilac, hydrangea, and others, or a custom mix. Samples are available, contact us for more information!

Designer Spotlight :: Tony Mentel

In honor of Earth Day, we're featuring eco-friendly and green wedding products and services this week! What better way to start than with the most important purchase for your wedding -- the dress! Fashion-forward meets environmentally friendly in Tony Mentel’s new line for Pure by Justin Alexander.



Where did you find inspiration for this new eco-conscious collection?
Exotic natural elements, like wood and pearls, inspired the overall design direction. These elements, together with great construction and a perfect fit, can transform a woman into the bride she wants to be. She can feel confident in a dress that suits her shape and has a one-of-a-kind look.

What makes these “green” bridal fashions unique?
We strive to make each gown as eco-conscious as possible, which means using super-soft organic fabrics, such as organic cotton sateen and pure silk, throughout (including linings, interlinings and outer shell pieces). The fabrics—and the way they move—influence the gown’s final shape and cut. To create unusual motifs on our gowns, we incorporate beautiful natural materials, such as semi-precious stones, pearls and wooden beads. - Maureen Choi, Bridal Guide Magazine



Read the full article at BridalGuide.com
See the collection at JustinAlexander.com

Daily Inspirations :: Celebrating Earth Day

To celebrate Earth Day this week, we're posting all about eco-friendly green products and services for your wedding. By making earth-friendly choices, you can lessen the environmental footprint of your special day and truly make a difference. Check out these photos from brides & grooms who did just that.





See the full articles and tons of real "green" wedding photos at Green-Wedding.net

I Do Brunch

This weekend I had the pleasure of attending the 2nd annual I Do Brunch in Clarksville, Maryland. The brunch is put on by Linnyette Richardson-Hall of Premier Event Management. The whole brunch was amazing from beginning to end! If you were staying at the reserved hotel for the event, a limousine shuttled you from the hotel to the brunch. If you drove yourself, there was valet parking right at the front door.





The theme for the day was an English Garden, and each table in the room was decorated differently. There were 16 tables, and 4 different teams worked to design the different table settings. Everyone at the brunch voted for the winner, and here are a few photos from the winning tables.











The menu was fantastic. The first station was the breakfast station, where I got the Chesapeake Benedict (English muffin topped with a poached egg and jumbo lump crab meat with a Chesapeake Hollandaise sauce). There was also scrambled eggs, turkey sausage, applewood cured bacon, and homemade biscuits with southern gravy. The second station was a Grits station, where you could choose your own toppings (sweet or savory). Third was the Luncheon station with tea sandwiches and an English cheese display. The signature drink to cap it all off was the I Do Mimosa, which was a sparkling spumante with passion fruit nectar and a strawberry.







After we ate, we had an open mic discussion about several different aspects of the wedding planning industry. We covered topics like advertising methods, social networking, what's changing the industry, and the hot topic of the day was Day-Of Coordination; whether or not it was a good idea and how different businesses handle their own Day-Of Coordination packages.



To go along with the English Tea theme, everyone was invited to wear a hat and enter a contest. The contest became a fashion show, and the winner was decided by applause. By the time I got my video camera on, it was just in time to capture Mark Kingsdorf from Queen of Hearts Wedding Consultants with his entry in the contest.



Before it was over Linnyette had one more surprise for everyone. Since we as wedding planners don't get to cut loose and dance at the weddings, she had the DJ play a few dance tunes.



Our swag bags were filled with all kinds of goodies, and the bag was a prize in itself -- too cute!





Linnyette was wonderful to meet, and she was such a perfect hostess. She took the time to come by each individual table and speak to everyone and thank us for coming. Her insights during our discussions were empowering and motivating, and I left there with so many new ideas. This brunch was a wonderful learning experience for me, and I got to meet some lovely wedding planners from all over the place! Thanks to Premier Event Management and all of the other vendors and organizers. Can't wait for next year!

Hitch & Ditch @ Peter & Co. Jewelers

Peter & Co. is bringing you an extensive inventory of loose diamonds and semi-mounts for two days only. Whether you're preparing to start a journey together, or renew vows with a larger diamond, you will want to attend this event!

Friday, April 16th & Saturday, April 17th




Peter & Company Jewelers
375-P Lear Rd.
Avon Lake

Bobblehead Cake Toppers

Ever wanted to see your face on a bobblehead? Look no further. HeadBobble.com can make a bobblehead of anyone just from submitting a photo. They offer cake toppers in a wide variety of poses and styles, or you can order individual bobbleheads as gifts for the bridal party...



Click here for cake topper styles!

Designer Spotlight :: Jorge Pérez

Jorge Pérez grew up in Cuba watching his grandmother design wedding dresses. He's now launched his own bridal line, sold at Kleinfeld Manhattan. With beaded bodices and cascading ruffles, the gowns embrace the glamour of Old Havana. - Lexi Dwyer, Brides Magazine

I love the style of Jorge Pérez. His gowns are flirty, feminine, ruffly, and sparkly....but without being gaudy and overdone. Jorge Pérez is having a trunk show THIS WEEKEND (April 16-April 18) at the Demetrios Salon right here in Cleveland! Just my luck, because I'll be out of town this weekend!



http://jorgeperezdelahabana.com

Dance Floor Decal

I came across these dance floor decals in a magazine. Don't you love them? They come in a wide variety of styles, colors, and wording, so you can match it with your wedding colors. These would be great for an entry way or hallway too, leading in to the ceremony or reception...

CathysConcepts.com

Daily Inspirations :: Yellow Balloons

I came across this darling "just married" photo shoot on Ruffled. I love photos with balloons, and these yellow balloons make me feel like spring is in the air! Even though today was dreary and rainy, these photos brought some sunshine.

Ultimate Engagement Proposal Contest :: 2 days left!

There are only 2 days left to enter the Ultimate Engagement Proposal Contest from OneWed! You could win a trip to Greece and jewelery! Click here to enter.

Free Giveaway from Sticker You & Stem

Click here for details on how to enter!



Sticker You
Stem

Easter Engagement Photos

This is the perfect post for Easter, an adorable Easter engagement session by Galaxie Andrews...complete with a bunny!



See the rest of these Easter Engagement photos at Green Wedding Shoes

Enjoy the Peep Show :: Happy Easter!

The other day I shared a cute diorama of Kleinfeld's made with Peeps. Here's the full story from the Washington Post and photos of all of the entries. Happy Easter!



Click here for Photos of the Peep Show Entries

Full Coverage of Peep Show 2010

Daily Inspirations :: Easter Tablescapes

I was looking around today for some ideas on decorating for Easter dinner tomorrow and I came across this page of Easter tablescapes. It's gotten my brain churning with ideas for tomorrow! I have a feeling I'm going to spend the night in the studio working on some cute last minute projects!


Click here for more Easter Tablescapes from Everything Fabulous

Working with a Florist :: Sticking to the Budget

If you're looking for ways to reduce expenses, remember that the ceremony only lasts about 30 minutes, but people may be viewing the centerpieces for four or more hours at the reception. "You will be spending most of your time at the party, so keep the focus there," says Michael George of Michael George Flowers in New York City. "Also, be clever about how you use the flowers. Get as much double service as you can. For example, you might transport the ceremony flowers to the reception."

The types of flowers you use will also affect your budget. If you need bouquets for a large number of bridesmaids, consider using grand-headed flowers such as hydrangeas or peonies. You'll need just a few stems of these to make gorgeous bouquets. Emphasizing one aspect of the wedding is another way to economize. A spectacular array of blooms on the head table, with inventive but less expensive displays on the others -- such as bowls of fruit or stunning foliage -- will be more impressive than half-hearted clusters. Choosing in-season flowers rather than costly blooms will also help lower expenses. But most florists agree you should never scrimp on the bridal bouquet. Pick exactly what you want and revel in your decision.


From Martha Stewart Weddings, Summer 2004

DIY :: Free Backyard Party Templates

Here are some fabulous free templates to use for your backyard spring/summer party or shower! Stir sticks, colorful banners and lemonade labels!


Click here for the Stir Sticks Template
Style Me Pretty


Click here for the Banner Template
Martha Stewart Weddings


Click here for the Lemonade Labels Template
Marry You Me

Easter Peeps at Kleinfeld

In my daily blog readings, I came across these super cute photos of an Easter Peep diorama on Offbeat Bride. This thing is too cute, I had to share it!

Daily Inspirations

Every day I look through tons and tons of wedding and design blogs. I love to stay up to date on styles and trends, I love to continue educating myself on the wedding industry by reading tips and posts from other professionals, but mostly I love how they inspire me.

Several times a day I stumble across a photos (or a collection of photos) that really light a spark. It gives me an idea about a floral arrangement I want to try to design...or a theme idea for an event...so many ideas flow every day, and I'm ashamed to say that most of them just keep on flowing. I just don't record my thoughts like I should, and then they're forgotten.

I thought I would begin to post my inspirations here, so I can look back on them occasionally and be reminded of those ideas. Hopefully they will inspire you, too. :)

Here's a "pool" of inspiration for the first post!
Flickr: Wedding and Event Inspiration Boards