Door Hanger Welcome Packets for Guests

What great way to welcome your out-of-town guests and introduce them to your wedding city! Martha Stewart Weddings came up with this simple and cute way to provide your guests with an itinerary of events, a map of the city, and things to do in their spare time.

The hanging packets are so easy to make! All you need are 6 items and you're all set:

legal-size (8.5x14 inches) card stock
ruler
craft knife
2.5 inch circle craft punch
bone folder
round label stickers

Directions:
1. Print the word "Welcome" twice across the top of the legal-size sheet of card stock (for an even nicer look, have your calligrapher script it)
2. With a rule and craft knife, cut the card stock in half, lengthwise
3. Punch a hole on the bottom of each piece of paper with a 2.5 inch circle punch (picture shown below)
4. With a bone folder, crease each card-stock strip 4 inches from the top, and fold to form a pocket
5. Fasten sides with round label stickers
6. Place all your information in your packet

Your guests will then be fully informed of everything going on!

Stain Removal To-Go

Madame Paulette is the most well-known dry cleaner among New Yorkers, as well as the go-to gown care expert for Vera Wang and celebrity brides. She has invented a to-go kit for brides, containing cloths with the same stain-removal formulas her staff uses to clean six figure gowns.

 The kit also includes a chart on how to remove each type of stain (whether it be chocolate, eyeliner, dressing, ink, pizza sauce, lipstick, etc).  Purchase these kits for your bridesmaids and make your special day less stressful for all.  No one will have to worry about stains, and if the kit goes unused, it makes a great purse accessory for future events.

Food on a Stick

What easier way to serve your wedding guests than food on a stick? Whether it's chicken skewers, vegetable kabobs, lollipops, or mini desserts on a stick, convenience and no-mess foods are key. Guests are all dressed up and probably don't want foods that cause a lot of mess or are hard to eat. Foods on a stick are also a cute way to decorate the tables and make your wedding reception more unique and personal to you.

Foods on a stick also add a lot of color to the table by using garnishes and vegetables. Using your creativity, you can turn any of you and your groom's favorite foods into foods on a stick!

For ideas an inspiration, check out Bakerella.

Choosing Seasonal Flowers for Your Wedding

Want the best bouquet ever but not sure which flowers are in season? Here is a guide to the best flowers and the seasons in which they are available.

Available all year
· Roses
· Anthuriums
· Orchids
· Tropical Flowers (destination wedding)
· Lilies
· Gerberas (Gerber daisies)

Winter Weddings
Some brides think there is nothing available for winter, and that is definitely not true! Amaryllises are beautiful and make a striking centerpiece.  Centerpieces with Nandina berries and holly can be exquisite and also very affordable. Don't overlook the obvious in red or white roses.

Spring Weddings
There are so many colors for spring. You can pick an array of colors from tulips, hyacinths, peonies (my favorite) or forsythia. Your wish is spring’s command, and all will smell lovely.

Summer Weddings
Vibrant colors exist in summer. Roses are very summery, but don't stop there. Make a more unique rose bouquet by pairing them with green chrysanthemums. Also beautiful at this time of year are  delphinium, gladioli, and sunflowers.

Autumn
Incorporate red, gold, and orange into your fall wedding. Apart from warm hued flowers, some interesting fruit comes into season such as crab apples. One might be hesitant, but it can make for a very attractive bouquet.

 Don't worry about which flowers will be available to your wedding. Every season has an array of choices and Samuel Franklin  will be happy to show you all of your options.

Wrap It Up Cupcake Style

Cupcakes are the new trend in bridal cakes. These easy to grab, beautifully frosted, mini-dessert treats are sweeping away brides across the country. Cupcake stores have opened up rapidly throughout the past few years and more and more brides are turning to cupcakes for their wedding cake. Most brides set up their cupcakes in the shape of a wedding cake to bring about the traditional look, and some eve put a traditional layer on top for the ceremonial cake cutting.

Cupcake wrappers are just as important as the cupcake itself.  The wrapper is half the cupcake and can be designed to truly reflect the personality of you and your groom. Cupcake Couture, based in Seattle, Washington, designs floral, swirls, and textile-inspired cupcake wrappers both in standard and mini sizes.  You can also customize your wrappers with your own design or logo. For more information visit

 

Wedding Gown Fabrics

No matter your wedding season or personal style, there is a fabric for you. The top five most popular wedding gown fabrics are:

· Silk
· Taffeta
· Satin
· Chiffon
· Lace

Silk is an elegant, light fabric that is great for year-round. The lightness is great for warmer weather, but it also has a rich look to it which is great for colder weather as well.

Silk can be a bit pricey, so if you are not willing to make the splurge, taffeta is a good alternative. Try an iridescent taffeta that will give your gown that light papery look, while also having a pretty sheen.

Satin is a heavier fabric better suited for the winter. Something about wearing an eighty pound dress all day just seems more manageable in the colder weather. It is, however, a regal fabric that is gorgeous in a full ball gown style, so do some weight lifting, and you will be ready!

If lighter fabrics are more your thing, try a chiffon. This is a flowing fabric that is very whimsical, and it is great for destination weddings on the beach. You will look like a goddess on your big day, and your groom will be stunned!

Lace is a romantic fabric and we should be seeing even more of it after the Duchess of Cambridge's lace trimmed gown. Styles range from top-to-bottom lace A-line gowns to form fitting mermaids with just a little lace applique, so you can always find the right amount of lace for your taste. For a more vintage look, choose ivory lace.

Headpiece Heaven

Headpieces are a fun way to make your wedding day style your own. Some styles are new while others are a twist on classic favorites. Flowers are an affordable and versatile way to add something to your look.  For a destination wedding, tropical flowers are a great way to go. You can pick whatever is growing around the island! This is also great for the more bohemian bride to give your flowing curls a romantic addition. Consider wearing your hair loose and wavy with this style.
If you want to channel Kate Middleton but don't want a tiara that sits high up on your head, a headband that complements your gown is a great choice. Headbands come in all different stones including pearls, diamonds, crystals, and basic silks. This is a style that you could choose whether you are wearing your hair in a sleek up-do or down and loose.

If a headband isn't your style, consider Kate's other favorite head accessory, a fascinator. For the bride looking for something more eclectic, you can choose a colored feather such as black, peacock, or any of your wedding colors. For the glamour bride, there are lots of options that have crystals and rhinestones. The more traditional bride can choose an ivory or white feather with a simple French twist. This trend is not going anywhere girls!

A retro style that has made a comeback is the birdcage veil. This is also a style that can incorporate all of the trends above. You can attach them to either flowers, feathers, or hats. This is something that can stand as your "something borrowed" or "something old." Many times a mother, grandmother, or aunt wore this style when they got married, so this is something fun that you can share.If your heart is still set on wearing a traditional veil for the ceremony, one of these styles could be a fun and stylish change for your reception.

Vineyard Wedding at Castleton Farms Inspiration Video

Tammy Akard, of Sweet TEA Productions, captured the spirit of a Castleton Farms inspirational shoot, which features the music of piano and harp provided by Special Notes.

At the end of a wonderful wedding day, what grander exit could a bride make than riding away in a vintage Bentley or Rolls Royce from a Regal Carriage Company.

Participating Vendors

The Bridal Suite

Adrienne Atchley & Company

A Perfect Day! Wedding Consulting

The Perfect Ending

Abner's Attic
Special Notes
All Occasions Party Rentals
Bryan Allen Photography
Dixie Pixel
Waldorf Photographic Art
Samuel Franklin
Sweet T.E.A. Productions
Castleton Farms

Montage Salon

Bangsand Blush

White Lace & Promises

A Royal Carriage Company

Designs in Paper

Castleton Farms' Manor House

Castleton Farms' manor house is not open to wedding guests, so most individuals are not aware of how elegantly it is decorated.   With four luxurious bedrooms, several sitting rooms and even a swimming pool, it is the perfect place for a bride to spend her last few hours of single life with her girlfriends.  Once made up by Bangs and Blush, it is also a great place for pre-ceremony photos, as demonstrated below by Bryan Allen Photography, Dixie Pixel and Waldorf Photographic Art.

Glamorous Cake With Ruffles and Roses

Cheryl McMillan, of The Perfect Ending, rose to the challenge (pun unintended) of creating a stately and elegant cake.  The seven tiered cake was enveloped in fondant ruffles, adding a contemporary touch of glamour. 
  

Elegant Plated Meal by Abner's Attic

The combination of Castleton Farms and the Wedgewood place settings called for white gloved service.  Rex Bradford Jones, of Abner's Attic, created an elegant menu of:

Strawberry Heart Salad w/ Mixed Spring Greens, Feta Cheese, Candied Glazed Pecans with a Delicate Strawberry Vinaigrette Dressing

Filet Oscar w/ a Red Wine Reduction; Lemon Buttered Asparagus; Herb Roasted Heart Potatoes

Crème Brulèe Hearts Accompanied with Fresh Fruits, Berries, Crème Fraiche

Vineyard Inspired Tablescapes

In contrast to our casual family style photo shoot, Rex Bradford Jones, caterer, of Abner's Attic, was inspired to bring out his best Wedgewood china and silver, not to mention antique tables and chairs.  Even though All Occasions Party Rentals does not carry these luxury items in stock, they do have the ability to procure luxury items for the bride who has the budget for them.

A Vineyard Inspired Wedding at Castleton Farms

This vineyard inspired shoot took place at Castleton Farms, which is situated on 108 acres of rolling hillside in Loudon, TN.  This shoot was designed for the bride who dreams of a classic, elegant, chic wedding.

A sumptuous satin mermaid gown with a cathedral veil from White Lace & Promises was the perfect choice for the formality of the affair.  Our bride wore a veil for the "ceremony", but Montage Salon fashioned her reception headpiece out of feathers & grapes, in keeping with our vineyard inspiration. 

Vintage Farm Wedding Inspiration Video

We've been blogging for a couple of weeks about all the creative design ideas our vendors created & captured on film for our "wedding" at The Reserve at Bluebird Hill.  Tammy Akard, of Sweet T.E.A. Productions also captured the set up, details and spirit of the day in this short film.  Kelly Kneiser, sister-in-law of Dixie Pixel's Tara Kneiser, provides the lovely music.

Thanks to the following vendors for donating their time, talents & creativity.  Their work speaks for itself, don't you think?

The Bridal Suite™

Abner's Attic 

Adrienne Atchley & Company

All Occasions Party Rentals 

A Perfect Day! Wedding Consulting

Bryan Allen Photography

Dixie Pixel 

The Happy Envelope

The Perfect Ending

The Reserve at Bluebird Hill 

Samuel Franklin 

Sweet T.E.A. Productions 

Waldorf Photographic Art

Walker's Formal Wear

White Table Specialty Linens

Bangs and Blush

White Orchid Bridal

   

Vintage Details Make the Difference

The Happy Envelope's table numbers, place cards & menu cards instructed guests to Sit, Love and Eat. 

The antique typewriter font on the paper items was inspired by the vintage working typewriter at the “guestbook” table, where participating vendors played guest by typing out their well wishes for the model bride and groom. 

                                      Bryan Allen Photography

This table was also accessorized with caramel apple favors, the perfect ending to a day on the farm.

                                                                                Bryan Allen Photography

Family Style Dining Can be High Style

Rex Bradford Jones, of Abner's Attic, demonstrated that family style dining doesn’t have to be boring. Elegantly presented entrées and sides were served in an array of serving pieces, including antique metal and stoneware.  A few of his tasty and artistic menu items are shown below.

 Herbed Toasted Rounds

 Roasted Red Pepper Bisque & Tender Rosebud Asparagus Shoots

 Top Round of Beef Seasoned in Yeast Potato Rolls

Basil Crème Spinach

Tablescape in Rustic Elegance

White Table decorated our extra long banquet tables with a jute and burlap inspired linen.  The color and texture contrasted beautifully with elegant fruitwood chivaris from All Occasions Party Rentals and apple green satin cushions.

All Occasions Party Rentals and Samuel Franklin Floral & Home beautifully decorated with inexpensive heirlooms and vintage inspired items that can be found around many homes, flea markets and antique shops.  Samuel Franklin used flowers as accents, rather than the focal point. 

Bryan Allen Photography

Bryan Allen Photography