It's that time again....

No... not football season. There is a time in every engaged persons life when they have to get down to business when it comes to planning their wedding. And for Andrea Maroun, that time is now. It's 13 months 'til the big day. Up until now we've done some brainstorming, swapped some ideas on Pinterest, and  set up accounts on both The Knot.com and Wedding Wire.com. But after booking the venue at The Yacht Club in Sea Pines Andrea wanted a bit of a break. Which is a understandable. It can be a bit overwhelming for the first few months. Everyone wanting to know EVERYTHING. The where, the when, the dress, the ring, the wedding party, and all the little details about the proposal. Take all those questions and times them by how many friends and family members you both have and you can be sick of your wedding in no time. Especially when you don't have the answers to half of the questions you are being asked. SO I made a deal with Andrea. No more major planning til September. Well, September is here!

 On the 13th Andrea, Jason, and I got together for a little meeting at their house. Andrea was a little worried that I was going to show up with a list of things to do ten miles long with dates ranging from now until next October. But to Andra's relief, that's not how I do things. I plan out a "To Do List" for 3 months at a time. I put it in 2 formats. The first is more of an outline for those who are more checklist oriented. The second format is an actual calendar with tasks and due dates for those who are more visually oriented. Andrea and Jason seemed to like both of them.

I was rather impressed with how prepared they were. They already have their guest list put together. They had decided what stores they wanted to register at. And Andrea knew when and where she wanted to start shopping for her wedding dress. Not too shabby for a first planning meeting. Now, their next decision will be whether to sent out the Save The Date cards in October (to give friends and family a years notice because it will be a destination wedding for just about everyone) or in December as Christmas cards. If they want to send them out in October they have to make a decision on a style and order them by next week. I'll keep y'all posted on that.

Other than that I just have to keep this momentum going and keep them on task. In general, I made September a very light month when it came to items on on Andrea and Jason's checklist. In October we are going to pick up the pace and start to finalize the reception menu, meeting with the Yacht Club catering team, and doing research and visiting rental places. For some background on Andrea and Jason's story please see Maroun/Spiskey Wedding under Current Projects.

Break out your flapper dress and cloche hat. We're going to a party!

I have one word for you: Themes

Themed events are tons of fun and really exciting to plan. To take an idea, expand it, and create an interactive version of it takes vision and creativity.  I personally love themed parties. Almost every party I've gone to from age 14 to 25 had a theme. Now, this is in part due to the creative nature of my family and secondly because of the residence hall I lived in while I was in college. (Shout out to all my former Prestonites!)  When my parents would get their friends together at our house it could be just a casual get together or one of my father's grand ideas. My dad came up with some of the most clever themes. I think the most memorable being the "Come As You Were" party. Basically, who do you think you were in a past life and come to the party as that person. We had a variety or characters show up. Everyone from Cleopatra and The Grand Duchess Anastasia to a Samurai warrior and an Amazon Princess. And my dad.... decided to take a more literal approach and show up in a gorilla suit. Bless him.

Now some people may shy away from theming their event because they fear it might make it feel cheesy and they don't want to exclude someone who can't participate. Both of which are valid concerns. But just because your event has a theme doesn't mean you have to show up in a gorilla suit. You can have a Luau family reunion, a little cowboy baby shower, or a sweet and salty desert party. Each of these would be easily executed without having the guests do too much work or feel too intimidated.

On the other hand....
Going all out from top to bottom can be a lot of fun. If you have some good friends who you know will enjoy a great themed party... go for it! I have a friend in Florida who use to have about 10 themed parties a year at the house she shared with a few friends.  Some of their themes were:

~New Years 

~Masquerade

~Choose Your Own Adventure (come as whatever you want basically, choose your adventure and live it!)

~Spirit Animal          

~Blacklight Party

~Red Party (She raised money for a friend that was in a car accident)

~Rubix Cube (wear all the colors of the rubix cube and trade items [hats, shoes, accessories, t-shirts, etc.] and solve yourself)

~Doppelganger (come as your evil twin)

  There was always a good turn out and people were always anxious to hear what the next theme would be.

                                                                                                              Nicki's spirit animal is an owl

Themed parties can also make good traditions. You can have an annual themed event like a Casino Night on New Years Eve. Or every year on your birthday throw a themed birthday party but change the theme every year. To this day my favorite themed event was the annual "Gatsby Banquet" that Preston Residential College held every Spring. As the name suggests, the banquet was modeled after the parties that the character Jay Gatsby would throw at his house in the book The Great Gatsby. It was held outdoors. Starting on our expansive front porch then moved into the garden behind Preston for dinner and Jazz music. 1920's attire was encouraged though not required but many rose to the challenge. But as long as you made an effort to look formal you were good to go. It was also a good excuse for some of the girls to break out their old prom dresses.

The Gatsby Banquet has been a tradition at Preston since its founding in 1995. And it is something that the residence look forward to every year.

Now that I've given you some ideas and told you about a few of my favorite themed party memories tell me about some of yours! And if you haven't been to a themed party, what theme would you give a party if you threw one yourself?

Whitney & Nick

This past weekend I went to the wedding of my friend Whitney Bragg. (now Whitney McCormac) Just going as a guest was such a nice change from planning a wedding or being in one. The ceremony and reception were at 701 Whaley near downtown Columbia SC. I discovered that 701 Whaley is a great indoor venue! I had never been there before so this was a great chance to check it out and I wasn't disappointed. The ceremony was upstairs in what they call the Olympia Room. It is 2000 square feet with original hardwood floors and 17 foot ceilings. Three lofty windows let natural light stream in with distinctive original walls lending character to the room.
  
(This picture is from their website. I was enjoying the ceremony too much to think about taking pictures)

The reception was downstairs in the Grand Hall. (I love weddings that have the ceremony and reception at the same location. So much easier for everyone.) The Grand Hall has an impressive glass storefront that shows off a striking view of the church steeple across the street and the clock tower of the historic renovated mill. Beautiful late afternoon light streamed through the floor to ceiling windows. And, again, the original walls help create a very unique almost rustic feel to the room. And the 'Grand Staircase' gives a great entrance for the bridal party.

  

(You can tell I am a real fan of these walls.) 

And I really liked the staircase as an option for the wedding party's entrance. It's off to the side. Everyone has a good view without having to be in the front. And the photographer has some great opportunities for really nice pictures.









Now, Whitney is a very crafty person. (and I mean that in the best possible way) She knits, scrapbooks, makes handmade decoration....you name it! So, I expected some special details that were all Whitney and I wasn't disappointed :) 

The Whitney and Nick sign was made from an old table sawed in half, some yarn, and nails. I know the Jamie Williams was a great help with this project and also with the felt flowers that placed within the real floral arrangements. And Whitney's bouquet was made of all felt flowers! Not an easy task but the end result was fantastic! Both these projects were inspired by similar crafts on Pinterest. (Yay Pinterest... lol)

Also something I've seen on Pinterest (although I am not certain that's where Whitney got the idea) were the centerpieces for the tables.

She chose a variety of different flowers with the same color palette but put them in different bottles, jars, or cups. I personally love this idea. It brings dimension, depth, and a sense of uniqueness to each table. Besides the "head table" (picture to the right) all the tables had about the same number of flowers on each. The bottles were actually supplied by the florist which kinda surprised me. I haven't come across a florist that catered to those kind of centerpieces before. So they definitely earned a spot on my Vendor List.  (click on the tab from the home page)

The food was also really good. For starters there was a bruschetta bar and waffle and chicken skewers. They also had a great buffet with broccoli salad, peach chicken, vegetables, shrimp, and BBQ sliders. But what was my favorite you ask?........The waffle and chicken skewers were, hands down, my favorite thing on their menu. I was not expecting them but they were fantastic!





At the end of the day the best part was seeing all my friends together to celebrate the start of a new chapter of Whitney & Nick's life. I wish them the best as they both look forward to a shared future of love, friendship, and the wonderful closeness that is marriage. 

*Gasp*...Oh No!

The two words no one wants to hear on their wedding day. No matter how much planning is done or how organized you are, there is always a chance that something could go wrong. A bridesmaid steps on the hem of her dress and it rips. Whilst taking pre-wedding pictures outside, some dirt leaves smudges on the bride's dress.  The groomsmen forget to take the tags off their vests and you don't want to rip them off in fear of ripping the fabric. And God forbid someone break a nail! A good emergency kit can keep a small mishap from becoming a bigger issue.

Here are a few basic guidelines when it come to emergency kits:
1) Put the kit together in something that can be easily transported.
2) Make a master list of what is to be included and make sure everything is there before the big day.
3) Keep it as organized as possible. (Don't throw it all in a plastic grocery bag and call it a day)
4) MOST IMPORTANT!! Make someone in charge of it! A bridesmaid, the Maid of Honor, Mother of the Bride....anyone! The last thing you want to hear in your time of need is "I thought you had it."

Recently, I have seen some really cute versions of emergency kits pop up on Pinterest.

This one was given to each bridesmaid as a "Bridesmaid's Survival Kit."


This one is cute, colorful, and easy to carry.


This one is labeled...organized....then labeled some more! (I love things organized but...whoa.)

Not my ideal choice for organizing things BUT it is a super cute gift.


More important than what your emergency kit looks like is what you put in it. Here is my list of the essentials:

Aspirin (or pain reliever of choice)
Band-Aids
Bottle of water
Chalk (to cover up any last minute smudges or smears on your wedding dress)
Clear nail polish (for broken nails or stocking runs)
Corsage pins
Dental floss/toothpicks
Deodorant
Eye drops
Extra earring backs
Hair pins/ponytail holder
Hand sanitizer
Hem tape
Matches
Mini sewing kit
Safety pins
Scotch tape
Small folding scissors
Spot remover
Straws (No messing up the girl's lipstick on coffee cups or water bottles )
Tissues
Tweezers
Breath mints
Comb/brush
Cash (just in case)
Hair spray
Makeup (for touch-ups)
Mirror
Nail file
Granola bars or other easy-to-carry snacks
Krazy Glue (for nail fixes, shoe heels, decorations, even jewels)

Now, armed with your crisis management kit, you can rest easy knowing that the little bumps in the road on the way to the alter can be taken care of quickly. But the most important thing to add to your emergency kit is: Perspective. Remember that a broken nail does not a ruined wedding make. (In other words: Don't sweat the small stuff)




*Special thanks to Athena Jordan for some much needed inspiration

Charleston State Of Mind

Charleston is my favorite city in SC. Along with its amazing history, architecture and true Southern charm, Charleston is filled with fantastic venues for events! Tuesday I went to do some research so I could update my list of preferred venues in Charleston. Although the internet is a fantastic resource, with http://www.discovercharleston.com/weddings/event-venues.htm as one of my favorites for Charleston, I really enjoy going to the Visitors Center and flipping through the pamphlets and brochures they have. I do this for two reasons 1) Most websites don't include the little known places. They typically list the most popular. If you want an event that is just a little different or unique you're going to want one of those hidden gems that not everyone knows about. 2) I'm a very visual person. I want pictures to put with the names of the venues. I also like that the general information for the venue (hours, address, contact info) is all in one place. (Go ahead...call me old fashioned...it's ok.)
Anyways, I found some great little places plus I learned of locations that I didn't know would accomodate events.

Magnolia Plantation  


This historic and elegant location defines quintessential Charleston and is the premier backdrop for any southern event. Offering expansive views of grand Live Oaks, manicured gardens and an open pasture from the beautiful Plantation House Veranda, this site is rich with history and tradition. Located in the heart of Magnolia’s garden, the Veranda provides an unforgettable setting for your special day.
http://www.magnoliaplantation.com/events/veranda_events_weddings.html

The River House



Perfect for fewer than 100 guests, the River House is a waterfront space overlooking the Ashley River. The venue is a private building on the lush grounds of Lowndes Grove Plantation, the last of its kind on the Charleston peninsula. The space is perfect for everything from a peaceful retreat, a business meeting, a luncheon, or a quiet wedding ceremony with a gathering of close relatives and friends.

http://www.pphgcharleston.com/venues/view/river_house

Gibbes Museum of Art



The Gibbes’ Beaux Arts-style building offers a wide variety of spaces that can be tailored to your function, from a collection of galleries with intimate spaces to a 12,460 square foot urban courtyard. The museum’s unique spaces and rich art collection bring an artistic flair and an added dimension to
your special event.
http://www.gibbesmuseum.org/visit/calendar.php

South Carolina Aquarium



When the South Carolina Aquarium closes for the day, a unique event site opens. As your guests arrive on our Riverside Terrace, they will experience Charleston from an entirely different perspective. Gorgeous views abound at the South Carolina Aquarium – both inside and out.
http://scaquarium.org/Events/default.html

So these are just a few of the great places I came across during my trip to Charleston. I can't wait to go back and hopefully do an event there soon!

Why So Early?

The other day Andrea asked me a good question. "Why are we starting to plan the wedding so early? It's over a year away!" The "one year out" mark is the most commonly used starting point for the majority of wedding planning. Most DIY wedding planning checklists start at 12 months out which gives the impression that there is nothing you can do before then. But getting a jump on the planning can be fun as well as beneficial to the entire planning process. Take the energy and excitement of getting engaged and use it as momentum to start brainstorming. With all the visual media and creative online resources it's really easy to start putting together a picture of what you want your big day to look like. Pinterest and TheKnot.com are two of my favorites.

 Pinterest is a great place for inspiration. There are literally thousands of pictures you can click through. Different wedding sites and magazines such as Southern Weddings Magazine and Belle have Pinterest boards that you can "follow" to regularly get new images that they post.  Creating an account and using different boards of your own for individual colors, dresses, or  is the perfect way to stay organized.
   I like to use The Knot.com as a more practical resource. You can search for venues and vendors by location and price. They have everything from photographers to caterers to DJs. And of course they have pages for wedding attire and beauty tips. Marking pages as your "favorites" is a great way to compare vendors side by side so see which ones would be a best fit for you and your budget.
When it comes to all the details involved in the planning and execution of a wedding, the last thing you was to do is leave it all to the last minute. The more you leave to the final months before the wedding the more stressed out you will be and the more hectic things have the potential to get. So my response to Andrea was "Ten months from now you will be glad we did."

New Additions

It's a rainy day on Hilton Head which means no beach today. But it is perfect weather to expand my blog a bit! Along with tweaking my Inspirations page, which I will always be doing, I added a Recommendations page and a Vendor List page. I very much appreciate Athene and Martha for saying such nice things about my work. It was truly a pleasure working with both of you. The Vendor List page is a list of businesses that I recommend and would use again. It includes venues, florists, hair & make-up, as well as an exceptional seamstress. All entries include business addresses and a method of contact. (website, email, or phone number) As the planning of the Maroun/Spiskey wedding continues, more vendors will be added to the list.... hopefully.  I also worked a little on my Facebook page. So feel free to visit there at http://www.facebook.com/LastingMemoriesByDesign Not bad for a rainy afternoon's work!