Two new web resources for wedding planning

I am fighting a brutal death cold this weekend, so I am laying in bed surfing the web looking at wedding stuff (true, it's what a lot of my Saturday nights consist of even when I'm not sick.)  I came across two awesome sites tonight that I wanted to share with you.

The first site answers two questions that I get from my brides all the time. The first... how do I ask those people who haven't returned their RSVP card yet whether or not they're coming?  It's an awkward phone call to make, especially when the guest in question is your boss or someone from your parent's guest list that you have never met before.  Well www.rsvpservices.com has answered that question for us!  For just $99.00-$159.00 (depending on your package choice), you get your own 800 number and webpage where your guests can RSVP, making guest tracking waaaay easier and doing away with the need for response cards and their postage!  The best part though, is that they will follow up with the non-responders either via automated phone call (the $99.00 package) or with a live operator (the $159.00 package).  The second question this site answers... how do I tell my cousin that the four other people she RSVP'd for are not invited to the wedding?  As part of the $159.00 package, rsvpservices will call those who have invited the uninvited and gently share the news with them.  

The second site is a great way to get an idea of what your wedding budget should be based on your geographic area.  At www.costofwedding.com you can enter your zip code and it will give you a range of budgets for local couples and the breakdown of how much couples in your area spend on each facet of their wedding.  I pulled a couple of the budgets that I had made for Sacramento couples and compared it against the breakdown for Sacramento weddings on www.costofwedding.com, and they are really, really close!  I still recommend hiring a wedding planner who will customize your budget for you (like we do)... but this site is a great way to determine what a realistic budget is for a wedding in your neighborhood.

Wishing you all the sweet life,

<3 Jackie

Our new revamped "Day of I Do" Package - Let them Eat Cake!!

When I started designing and coordinating weddings, I had one goal in mind... make sure that the couple of the hour can enjoy their wedding day without worrying about the details.  At one of our weddings a few months ago, as I was offering my congratulations to the bride and groom just before their big exit, the beautiful bride turned to me and said, "Everything was perfect, I just wish I had had the time to eat!  I'm starving!"  I realized that this has been a common theme at nearly every wedding I have attended and coordinated.  The poor bride and groom never get to eat the delicious meal or the gorgeous cake that they spent months picking out!  I realized as the wedding coordinator, I needed to rectify this situation ASAP!

So was born the new and improved "Day of I Do Package."  It includes all of the services that we have always offered, with a few awesome upgrades... including delivery of your cake, a bottle of champagne, and a plate of your scrumptious dinner and hors d'oeuvres to your honeymoon suite, or packaged up for you to take with you.  We will even take a moment to decorate your honeymoon suite with candles and rose petals while we're there.  Here's a look at the new and improved services included in our "Day of I Do Package:"


~ Preparation for your Wedding Day ~
• Initial consultation
• Unlimited phone, email, and face to face communication
• Work with you to develop a detailed wedding day itinerary
• Distribute necessary itinerary information to vendors one week before the event
• Distribute detailed wedding day itinerary to bridal party one week before the event
~ Rehearsal ~
• Organize wedding rehearsal
• Be on site to direct the rehearsal
• Coordinate rehearsal dinner (if applicable)
~ Wedding Day ~
• Unlimited hours of service on your wedding day – on site
• Manage wedding vendors per your instructions
• Manage wedding party – making sure everyone is where they need to be at the right times
• Coordinate the bridal parties’ refreshments (if applicable)
• Transport bridal party personal items from prep location to reception location for after event pick-up
• Coordinate and supervise all vendor set-up and clean-up at ceremony and reception sites
• Set up decor at ceremony and receptions sites
• Organize and distribute all person flowers to wedding party, family members and special guests
• Provide Bridal Emergency Kit – aspirin, energy bars, mints, sewing kit, etc.
• Facilitate the wedding ceremony
• Oversee ushers and guest book attendants
• Make sure that all members of the wedding party are looking picture perfect
• Properly line up processional and cue musicians
• Ensure all necessary items (wedding rings, marriage license and other supplies) are on hand
• Transfer items from ceremony to reception (i.e. gifts/gift table)
• Place guest book, table names, place cards, favors, toasting glass and serving set per your instructions
• Coordinate entertainment and all announcements/events during reception
• Deliver payment of vendor tips and balances and obtain receipts for balances paid
• Collect and return items/rentals to vendors
• Ensure that presents and cards are collected after the wedding
• Discreetly manage any situation that may arise
• To top off the evening, your honeymoon suite will be decorated with rose petals and twinkling candlelight and a plate of food and cake from your wedding and a bottle of champagne will be waiting for you. (Or we will box up your food, cake, and champagne for you to take home with you if you prefer.)

*Remember to always ask us if there's something else you would like included in the package.  We are here for you and will cater to you in every way possible to make your wedding day perfect. Additional fees may apply for some additional services.  

The best part is... Our Day of I Do Package still starts at only $195!  Contact us today for your free consultation and to hear more about our awesome new package!

Wishing you all the sweet life,

<3 Jackie

What is glamping??

Sorry for my long absence from posting!  I've been working on a lot of awesome new package components that we will be debuting in a few months, so stay tuned for announcements regarding these new packages!  Today I wanted to address a wedding trend that seems like it couldn't be less expected... glamping.

Glamping is a mixture of glamour and camping and it has become a huge wedding trend since Matthew McConaughey's camping themed soiree.  This is not your traditional roughing it... we're talking high-end safari tents and lots of amenities.  Some brides are choosing to set up a glampsite for their wedding party and/or families, while others are just working the glamping theme into their wedding by setting up a children's tent, bourbon tent, or lounge tent or by incorporating common camping elements like s'mores and trail mix.  The best part about a full-fledged glamping wedding?  After the reception concludes, the party can continue around the campfire!

So what does wedding glamping look like?

Here's a bridal suite glamping tent:


and an entire bridal party glampsite:

with the interior:


There are companies who are now specializing in these luxury popup hotels and are offering them for as little as $375/day for a tent with accommodations for two adults.  If you're interested in a glamping themed wedding, call us today!

Top 10 Winter Wonderland Event Trends - Part III

Are we all ready for the thrilling conclusion to our countdown of the top 10 Winter event trends?  I know I am... so without delay, here's numbers 1-4!

4)  Everything Ombre - You may have noticed the stunningly popular ombre style trend everywhere from hair color to cake design and everything in between, but ombre has made its way into holiday events in a big way.  From the invitation:

To the decor:

To the cake:

And even the party favors:

Ombre is a trendy way to work big color into your event in a soft and subdued way.  

3) Formalize your invites - Holiday parties can run the gamut from low key gatherings to full on formal affairs, but the trendy event will incorporate formal elements in its invite no matter what the tone of the celebration!  Calligraphy and swirly designs dominate while Santa, the elves, and reindeer are no where to be found.  

You can still set the tone for your guests by choosing a whimsical color palette or by being specific about the formality of the evening (i.e. "We invite you to a formal holiday affair" vs. "We invite you to an evening of fun and laughter as we celebrate the holidays).  You can also provide guidance on the expected attire to let your guests know what to expect (i.e. Casual attire vs. Black tie invited).  There's also the option to let your guests know what they will be doing at the party like in the invitation below.  Few of us will wear black tie attire to a screening of Bad Santa!

2) Serve your hot chocolate on a stick - Of course the DIY bar has been making the rounds at events for a few years now, but this new take on the hot chocolate bar is about as trendy as they come.  This idea can be completed with ready made hot chocolate sticks which can be purchased at many online vendors, or this is also an awesome place to DIY.

Just place your hot chocolate sticks out in a pretty serving dish, along with steaming hot milk in a carafe, and whatever mix-ins your heart desires.  Some of our favorites are the classic marshmallow, salted caramel, peppermint bark, crystallized ginger, and cinnamon sticks, but the choices are endless!

You can also bag the hot chocolate sticks up and offer them as an amazing party favor for your guests.

And... drumroll please...

1) Let them eat pie - No you're not experiencing déjà vu, you have definitely read about the mini pie buffet table on our blog before.  I'm just that good at predicting the season's biggest trends, so I've been talking about the mini pie buffet for a long time!  Pies evoke the warmth and sentiment of family holidays and are a staple dessert for most holiday dinners, so it's no wonder that they're such a hot trend when served smorgasbord style in bite-sized servings.

 The variety of desserts that you'll be able to offer as a result of the small serving sizes will be greatly appreciated by your guests and the stunning display will be colorful, whimsical, and sophisticated when you utilize different methods of serving the bite sized pies.  For instance, don't make each pie a crust topped carbon copy that you need to bite into to know what's inside.  Try serving your chocolate coconut cream pie like this:

and your banana cream pie like this:

Your guests won't be able to stop themselves from trying all of your yummy varieties and they certainly won't forget what an amazing party you threw when they round off the night like this!

If you're looking for a little help bringing your holiday party to life, there's still time to call us to help!  We would love to help you work these trends into your holiday event, or even help you start your own trends.  Until next time!

Top 10 Winter Wonderland Trends Part II

There couldn't be a more perfect time to share the heavily anticipated 5-7 trends for winter entertaining as I sit sipping hot chocolate on this super chilly Sacramento evening.  Here they are!

7.  Winterize your beverages - While eggnog is the classic winter cocktail, not all of your guests will want to indulge in the raw egg containing beverage.  So mix it up with other slightly reinvented winter classics like peppermint white hot chocolate:

or a hot apple pie hot toddy:

Your guests will appreciate the variety and the ode to the holiday season all at once!

6. Go easy on the flowers - This is a trend that your pocketbook is going to love as much as you do!  Winter events are the perfect place to use the manzanita tree or other branch designs in place of floral arrangements.  You will get the height and drama that you want from your floral arrangements, while playing up the beauty of the season.  My favorite manzanita tree centerpiece uses garlands of votive candles and a few orchids to create the perfect blend of low lighting and breathtaking beauty.

You can even add wintry elements to your bridal bouquet!  The silver berries and pine cone clusters set off the white roses perfectly.

5. Candlelight, period - Candles have long been the staple of event decorating, but this season, candles are an even hotter trend.  Create a warm, cozy, welcoming environment by working candles in wherever you can.  Hurricane candles are a perfect way to decorate a fireplace mantle:

Or create a centerpiece of candles of varying heights and sizes to offer your guests the ever coveted and romantic candlelit dinner experience.

You can even work the winter theme even more by adding epsom salt to your candle holder (like these Ball cans) to look like beautiful snow.  The subtle glitter of the salt will play beautifully with the dancing light of the candle.

We'll break down the top four winter entertaining trends in tomorrow's blog, so stay tuned!

Top 10 Trends for Winter Wonderland Events - Part I

Tired of the same old red and green holiday events?  Winter entertaining doesn't have to mean holly berries and spruce!  So for my newest blog series, I wanted to usher in the holiday season with some contemporary and sophisticated ideas for making your holiday parties unique and memorable.  I've also worked some DIY ideas in here as we all know that I love crafting personal elements for your events. So without further adieu, here are trends 8-10.

10) White is the new black - is there anything more breathtaking than a sweeping view of fresh fallen snow?  You can recreate that clean and fresh look by using white as the predominant color in your decorating palette.  Couple the white with gold for a more regal look like the lounge above, or pair it with a dark neutral color for the more understated or rustic look in the photo below.

To make these simple and affordable centerpieces, simply fill glass vases of varying sizes and shapes with a few inches of white sand and arrange several twigs in each.  

9) Work the holiday theme with subtlety - We've all been to that party where we are suffocated by the Santa impersonators, Christmas trees, and snowflake cutouts that are overwhelming the space, but the trend in holiday parties now is definitely less is more.  Choose a few elements to showcase the holiday theme and weave them in to your decor seamlessly.  One of my favorite ideas are these easy to make escort card holders that work in both the winter wonderland and holiday theme.

To make these ornament placeholders, simply use transparent ornaments (available for about $.50 each from millions of online vendors) and fill them about 1/4 of the way with tiny white beads or bagged snow.  Then, using "scribble" paint, draw a few snowflakes on the ornament.  Voila!  A beautiful, classic way to escort your guests to their seats in picture-perfect holiday style.  

8) Serve holiday comfort foods in fashionable appetizer portions - There's no such thing as a Christmas dinner without mashed potatoes, right?  Or maybe you're more of a macaroni and cheese person around the holidays?  Why not combine those holiday comfort foods with one of the trendiest ideas in entertaining right now and serve appetizer portions in various sizes and styles of glassware like these macaroni and cheese martini glasses:

or these mashed potato shot glasses:

Not only will this idea be stylish and fun, it will allow you to accommodate your guests' many different tastes and prevent you from having to make a 4 course meal.  It's also a fun cocktail hour idea.

Check back in to the blog tomorrow to see trends 5-7!

Carrying the vineyard theme through to catering

Of course the first thing that comes to mind when you think of a vineyard wedding is wine, and while it's a great first step, there are many ways to carry your vineyard wedding theme through to your food and beverage selections.  Here are a few of my favorites:

1) Try using wine barrels as bases for your buffet or dessert tables.

The modular nature of the wine barrels will allow you to set up one longer table or several smaller tables around your reception or cocktail hour space and the rustic charm of the weathered wood adds elegance and warmth.  The addition of the chandelier is a great way to make the table draw attention with a touch of dramatic lighting.

2) Set up wine and cheese pairing stations.

This is one of my favorite cocktail hour ideas!  You can set up several stations at different areas throughout the cocktail hour space, which encourages your guests to move around and interact with one another while preventing traffic jams in front of one large table.  You can provide descriptions for each pairing in a decorative frame on each table and allow your guests the opportunity to find a new favorite.  This is also great way to cut down on the pricier cocktails that your guests might consume during cocktail hour.

3) Serve a plated meal with a wine reduction.

 

There are few things that I love more in life than a steak smothered in a cabernet reduction and I'm willing to bet your guests will agree!  The sweet, woody flavor of the cabernet combines perfectly with the flavor of the beef and the bordeaux coloration of the sauce makes for a beautiful plated presentation.  Seared scallops in a white wine reduction are also pretty gosh darn tasty and provide a seafood option for your guests.

4) Let your cake get viney.

  

Molded sugar, fondant, and marzipan all make great options for designing a delicious grape vine to cascade down your tiered wedding cake.  The understated elegance of the vine allows you to go with a very basic design for your cake tiers or you can choose to dress it up with textures and colors.

And since I can't get enough of cake balls these days - I love them!