Thursday, July 30, 2009

outdoor wedding stuff

Wood Wedding Signs

Wednesday, July 29th, 2009

These wooden signs are such a thoughtful touch to any wedding or event. Whether it’s a family reunion picnic, a cozy wedding on a historic farm or nuptials on the forest floor - these signs not only provide a useful function, they add an extra detail that will be sure to wow your guests.

My favorite is the signpost where one of the arrows points to happiness! These signs are courtesy of the folks at Vintage Sign Projects but you can also search on places like Etsy to find similar items.

Wood Wedding Sign

Wood Wedding Sign

5 Tips for Hot Summer Weddings

Sunday, July 19th, 2009

Summer has always been the most popular season for weddings. As you’re planning your summer nuptials, make sure you consider the effects that really hot weather will have on your day! Here are 5 top tips for making sure your day goes smoothly.

  1. Provide shade in the form of umbrellas or decorative parasols during the ceremony
  2. Avoid chocolate as part of your candy bar or as favors - they’ll melt into a terrible mess
  3. Make sure your venues have sufficient air conditioning inside and shade outside to shield everyone from the burning rays
  4. Select flowers that can stand up to the heat and make sure your floral arrangements aren’t placed too early in the day or stored in a hot room
  5. Keep guests happy and hydrated by greeting them with ice cold bottled water and lemonade when they arrive

Outdoor Wedding with Parasols

Think Outside the Ballroom

Friday, July 10th, 2009

Ballrooms are beautiful. But, for brides, grooms and party hosts that are looking for a little more splash of the unexpected - think outside the ballroom!

Being born and raised in Green Bay, Wisconsin, I couldn’t help but love the uniqueness of this wedding which took place at the legendary Lambeau Field, home of the Green Bay Packers. These spectacular shots are courtesy of the lovely Aubrey from Photo by Aubrey.

Even if NFL football stadiums aren’t your thing, brainstorm about all of the different places you can have your wedding or event. Call up your local city hall, library, baseball stadium, antique barn, museum, nature reserve, old-time movie theatre, microbrewery or historical site and think outside of the ballroom!

Lambeau Field Wedding

Platinum for Pennies: Draping Done Easy

Monday, May 4th, 2009

When it comes to event decor, I’m a huge fan of ceiling features like draping. For those DIY hosts/brides out there who have their hearts set on indoor or outdoor draping, check out your local Ikea for an amazing, budget friendly option with these shade sails.

The Dyning shade costs $25 and you get a great triangular shade that comes complete with hooks and cord to hang it. For an indoor wedding, pick up a few super strong magnets with a built-in hook from Northern Tool at $3 each and clip to the ceiling. For outdoor decor, string the shade up between trees or lamp posts. It’s the perfect touch of drama and really makes the space your own…and all for less than $50!

Shade Sail

Photo courtesy of Shaded Nation

Inspiration Board: White on White

Wednesday, April 29th, 2009

We created this beautiful white-on-white inspiration board with the following elements in mind: texture, warm lighting and keeping things friendly and inviting. So often an all-white color palette can end up looking sterile and bland. But, by ensuring that we included those 3 elements and adding color with the food and drink, the result is anything but boring!

White Inspiration Board

More Non-Floral Centerpieces

Monday, April 27th, 2009

Here are some more non-floral centerpieces for the hosts that want a show-stopping centerpiece without flowers! The button jars really lend a vintage-y detailed look - perfect for a casual affair like a baby shower or bridal shower. The book centerpieces are more old-world and lend themselves more toward a semi-formal event such as a cocktail reception or networking event.

Button Centerpiece Button Centerpiece

Book Centerpiece Book Centerpiece

Photo Credits: It’sLove, It’sAllRelative, SpeakQuietly, 2000dollarwedding.com

Favorite Favors: Party Beans

Friday, April 10th, 2009

As we always say, guest favors must have one of the following purposes: something they can eat or something they will use. These adorable little packages from Party Beans are available in a bunch of different styles (my favorite are the glass jars) and filled with jelly bellys, M&Ms or mints! Customize the packaging by using a pre-designed logo or by uploading your own photo/art. And, the coolest part is you can even color coordinate your candy…you can choose up to 2 specific colors to go with your color scheme. YUM!

Not into candy? They also do breath strips and toothpicks!

Party Beans

Candles Outside - Beware!

Sunday, April 5th, 2009

Ahhh, don’t you just love the scene below? So home-y and gorgeous, a warm glow of candlelight illuminating a beautiful table. It’s absolutely stunning! One thing to keep in mind when re-creating this lovely look: the wind! Don’t underestimate the power of the wind to blow out your candles, no matter how large the jar or candleholder is!

Instead of lighting & re-lighting votives until your fingers are burnt, just go for the cheap battery-powered votives. You’ll get the same look but without the headache.

Table with Hanging Lights

Photo courtesy of Martha Stewart

White Tent Alternatives

Thursday, April 2nd, 2009

Not wild about the traditional white tent for your outdoor wedding or event? Check out these white tent alternatives: a clear tent, creating a false ceiling with fabric or lusing the tent “skeleton” with strings of lights. Each of these establishes a very unique look that will be sure to give your event your own personal stamp.

Clear Top Tent

False Ceiling Effect Tent with Strings of Lights

Linens to Make Your Colors Pop!

Tuesday, March 17th, 2009

One of the best decisions a bride/groom/host can make to really make their event look “custom” is to have specialty linens. For those who are regular watchers of Platinum Weddings or any of the other reality shows, you’ll notice that this is an element that is always included in their decor! And, renting of 1 tablecloth per table is surprisingly affordable! Take a look at the photos below to see the difference colored linens make in the look and feel of your wedding or event.

Purple with White White with Purple

Blue with White White with Blue

Red with White White with Red