Some Inspiration to Carry You Into the New Year!

Here are a few things to whet your floral/event/wedding related appetite as we head into 2008...
Plus, some of my own style and design tips for the new year.

1. Black is the New Black
Chocolate brown will come and go...but black is forever classic.


2. Less is More
Instead of traditional flower arrangements that include in many types of flowers and colors think about simple, monochromatic arrangements. Using the same flower type in the same color for arrangements or using several flower types in the same color often has great impact! This is also great for the DIY bride or novice because they are simple to arrange and look lovely packed tightly--or sparsely into cubes.




3. Embellish, embellish, embellish!

In 2008, I'd love to see embellishment taken to higher heights. I'd love to see bouquets wrapped in ruffles, velvet, 'blingy' trim or anything that personalizes and makes them more feminine and interesting.

4. Let There Be Light!
Candlelight, that is! For an evening wedding reception, dinner or party, you can never have too many candles. Candles are quite possibly the cheapest way to make great impact on your tables and in a space. Think about it. When has candlelight ever looked tacky? It hasn't! And candles grouped together--whether pillars or votives--create a romantic and dramatic effect. And they also produce beautiful light! If you can't afford to hire a professional lighting designer--going crazy with candles can create an equally great ambiance. But the key is to go crazy. Plan on ordering hundreds of candles for your event.


5. Go Crazy with Something...

For maximum impact in an event space, consider a theme and really run with it. Whether it be hundreds of branches, candles, roses, orchids, flower petals--guests will notice an element that runs through your entire event. Branches are a bold, striking and cost-effective way to do this as they're much cheaper than many flowers.

Happy 2008!

Review: Henris Cloud 9

What: Bridal shop, Henris Cloud 9
Where: Minerva, Ohio
My Visit: Wednesday, December 26

Review: RK Bridal, NY, NY
Review: Country Miss Bridal, Upper Marlboro, MD
As you may know, I had previously come in contact with the staff at Henris at a bridal show in Cleveland a few months ago when I put a deposit down with them to hold my gown. Henris had a 'showroom' of gowns at the show where I unexpectedly found my dream dress.
I then was able to get them to lower the price they wanted to sell to me for by a few hundred dollars and to lock in that price.
Well, Wednesday my mom, sister and I drove a hour and a half south of Cleveland into very rural Minerva, Ohio to visit Henris' shop.
Its located in the 'downtown' area of Minerva--a quaint road lined with shops that reminds me of my college town--and from the outside looked cute, but disappointingly small for the long drive we'd made.

But upon entering Henris, we were very pleased. There are two levels of the store, which inside looks like a large, old mansion. The first level is prom dresses and the second floor is all bridal.

I was impressed with the number of gowns they had by Spanish atelier Pronovias, and the sales staff were very helpful but no pressure!
Me in a Pronovias gown. I liked the top a lot. It's NOT my gown!


(Double click on photos to see the amazing detail)
The selection of gowns was good. Of course it couldn't compare to a large warehouse like RK, but the quality of the gowns at Henris was awesome. They were all beautiful selections. Some at higher price points like Eve of Milady and some really gorgeous, more affordable gowns like the Essence of Australia collection. I was left to try on gowns and received help when I needed it. The store is well lit and my mom and sister also tried on a few things.

We were also allowed to take photographs of the gowns I tried on, which is increasingly becoming a no-no in many salons. But that may have been because it was the day after Christmas, laid-back and seemingly slow.

That day, I ordered my gown. I'd say a drive to Henris from the Northeast Ohio area is worth it, especially if you're considering a Pronovias gown. They also have some gorgeous, albeit pricey, Tacori jewelry.

A Mini-Moon for Me and my Honey!

So, you know that a few months ago we decided on our honeymoon:
A Moon for Me and my Honey Part I
A Moon for Me and My Honey Part II
A Moon for Me and My Honey Part III
But of course, that's not until AFTER the wedding--the last week in August. So, I introduce to you a new phenomenon: the Mini-Moon!
From the OnceUponYourWedding.com Blog:

Hold on to your engagement rings, because you are going to heart this. Instead of a honeymoon, you take a mini-moon during your planning period. Why? Well just like in all big times in life, you need a break. Planning a wedding, just like the long arduous process or buying a home or the incubating period of a pregnancy, can put quite a strain on a relationship. Don’t get me wrong, these are happy events that we are working towards. But because it’s in our nature to want everything to be perfect, we stress about little details, incorporations, etc.
Now, enter the Mini-Moon.
The mini-moon is a quick getaway for the bride and groom: 48 hours or more to a great place. This great place can be a vacation getaway or even the privacy of your own home. The deal is to not discuss anything wedding related for that 48 hours! That’s right– not one mention of your dress, six thousand bridesmaids, the peonies imported from New Delhi or the 700 buttercream roses which will adorn the cake.

Instead, you focus on what got you engaged in the first place– the two of you. If you take your mini-moon at home be sure to tell people you’re going a way. Nine times out of ten, people will call you, unaware of your wedding planning hiatus, and will want to talk shop. Lock up your wedding magazines, contracts, etc. Really make an effort to put the focus back on the relationship and not the wedding. After all, the wedding is only one day. The two of you are forever.

I first heard of the "Mini-Moon" on TheKnot.com, a place where I get many wedding related ideas...some good, some excessive, some useless. This is one of those ideas that sounded good but that I didn't think would be in the budget as we're financing 90% of our wedding ourselves.
But last week, Prince Charming proposed a weekend away in South Beach.
So, off we go!

Here is one great mini moon deal offered by Sandals that I found AFTER we booked our Miami weekend:
$179 One-Day Mini-Moon in Sandals Montego Bay (airfare and all-inclusive)
Enjoy!

PSA: Another Snapfish Holiday Code!

One last holiday deal from Snapfish. Use code RUSH30 on December 18 (Tuesday) only to get free shipping and 30% off Photobooks/Calendars and more. These WILL arrive on or before December 24. Enjoy!

Funky (and cheap) Table Runners?

So, I came across some cool fabric--actually called'Sheer Organza Sheets'--over at Jamali Garden.
The fabric sheets measure 58" wide by 10 yards long--so just one sheet could effectively be made into about several nice-sized table runners to fit just about any table. I'm always amazed to find fabric large enough to work with 72" rounds.
Anyways, check them out here.
I'm sure you can think of a ton of other uses for this fabric. At $25 each--$20 if you order more than 4--it's a steal!

Too.Many.Vendors.

Ok-- so I have a confession to make.
As much fun as I'm having, I am frustrated with planning my wedding.
And I attribute this to one factor: too many vendors.
There are lots of moving 'pieces' to planning any event, especially weddings.
And although I am good at making phone calls, doing price comparisons and overall managing vendors, I'm getting exhausted fast from having to manage SO MANY of them.
There's floral, ceremony rentals, reception rentals, lighting, entertainment, attire, beauty, lodging etc...
Now, some would be quick to advise, "Girl, hire a wedding planner!"
But I don't think that's necessary if I could just STREAMLINE/ BUNDLE a few of my vendors into ONE vendor that I totally trust to execute.

What if I could find one company to handle floral, lighting, ceremony AND reception decor/set-up?

Enter Stacey Streeter from Fleurs de France.
Well, technically she came across my radar a while ago and has hands down the loveliest floral I've seen in the Cleveland area. She does what she calls "couture flowers" and her designs are whimsical, creative and fun.
The only problems were that:
1) Her pricing intimidated me
2) I contacted her about JUST doing personal flowers for me and she was only mildly interested because she said she was leaning toward only doing full events--not parts here and there. Which I understood.

But upon doing my vendor interviews, pricing things out and understanding the possibilities and constrictions of our venue, I am compelled to at least interview and price the person who would, I think, be my first choice based on what I've seen of her work...
Courtesy Fleurs de France.net






So, I am meeting with Stacy in a few weeks.
And some of you laughed at me for starting early!?