Martha Stewart does it again

Want a favor with a difference? Try these lovely little cones as chair markers or hang from a tree in the entrance way of your reception for your guests to take with them. I doubt there will be any left over after the wedding has ended.

These cute little favors came from Martha Stewart Weddings. With tons of tips and ideas for wedding decorations, favors, gifts and much more, Martha Stewart Weddings still beats all others for cost-saving DIY projects. For more ideas and tips, go to www.marthastewartweddings.com

Hair & Makeup Artist for Weddings

Karen Yarborough

Just recently we had the pleasure of working with Karen and her associate at a wedding a couple of weeks ago. We were blown away by the caliber of work that they did for our bridal party and parents. They were personable, professional and fun to be around on the wedding day itself.

The bride looked beautiful and the makeup had a warn glow, her lashes looked natural and her hair looked beautiful without being over the top. She felt as good as she looked.

Karen and her associates are truly a wonderful addition to our offered services for our clients and their prices are awesome!!! Check out their website and don't be fooled by the Hollywood style...these people are real pros and their work shows!

For more information, go to: http://covergirlbrides.com/id74.html

Wedding Hankies & Linens

Want a keepsake that will be cherished and used at the same time? Try these simple but precious embroidered handkerchiefs. This one has been used to wrap the small nosegay bouquet for the mother of the bride. Another was made for the mother of the groom and the grandmothers.

Handkerchiefs are used more and more again these days. Especially true for mothers after receiving the sensible and pretty little keepsakes. Try ordering a different one for each of your bridal party and don't dismiss the thought of giving one to Dad. Most men carry handkerchiefs as well, so why not give Dad a keepsake treat too with a special message stating that you're "Still Daddy's Little Girl"?I'm particularly fond of Fine Linen and Lace and love the idea of linen runners for cake tables, guest seating and head tables. These are things that can add special touches to your wedding and then be used every day throughout your marriage.

Buying good linen should be viewed the same as buying good china. It can be an investment and it is something that you will use over and over again. Embroidered napkins, table cloths and even good linen doilies. Every bride should have some linen and/or lace to add to her hope chest! Linen pillow cases, pillows, bath towels or even the ring bearer pillow. Find a place like Oakbrook Embroidery in Summerville that will put monograms, messages or anything that will fit on to handkerchiefs or other fabrics and materials, and you're all set.What about these great lace umbrellas for the bridal party?
A useful site for fine wedding handkerchiefs and other super ideas is:
http://bumblebeelinens.com/

Wedding Thank You Notes

When saying Thank You after the wedding, what better way than to send a card that shows how happy you both were on the day itself? These wonderful Thank You Notes allow you to show off your wedding photos after the wedding while taking the tine to ensure your guests know just how much you appreciated them being a part of your special day.

Also, with the holidays coming up, why not have your cake and eat it too by sending out Holiday Cards that include your wedding photo in them? This is especially wonderful for sending to family that you cannot be with for the holidays and a special treat for those guests that could not make it to the wedding.

For helpful tips on writing Thank You Notes, click on the following Links:

Tips on writing the perfect Thank You Note

Emily Posts Etiquette Ideas for Thank You Notes

Thank You Note Wording

For ordering custom Thank You Notes, Save-the-Dates, Invitations or Photo Holiday Cards - A CHARLESTON EVENT CUSTOM INVITATIONS

Gazebo Rentals

There is nothing prettier and more rustic than this beautiful wrought iron Ceremony Gazebo. Add the green moss Oblisks and black benches and you have a beautiful ceremony site fit for a queen and her guests.

For more information on our Gazebo Rentals, contact Charleston Florals Rental Division on line or call us at 843-494-9502.

This photo brings new meaning to "Get me to the Church on time!" And...they didn't even have to pay the limo fee. This has got to be one of the cutest photos I've seen in a long time. And in this next photo...they're waiting for SHOW TIME!
These photos and more can be found at one of our favorite Blogsites: Wedding Dish! Wedding Dish is a site that is out there just for brides to pull ideas and helpful tips from. Great ideas and great cost-saving advice. For more information go to: http://weddingdish.thinklikeabride.com/
Happy Planning!

Project Wedding

Beach weddings are some of the most relaxing and fun weddings we've created and we love catching the 'inspiration bug' from some of our colleagues and associate wedding planners, photographers and designers in the field.

I ran across this site by accident and loved the site as well as the entire look of this beach wedding theme. So much fun and beautifully coordinated, with the combination of simplicity and fun while still remaining elegant. Hats off to this blog!

See more on Project Wedding - A Beach Wedding by Mathieu Photography!

See more wonderful REAL wedding ideas on www.ProjectWedding.com Happy Planning!

Christy's latest update - Invitations

It is official! I am getting married!! My invitations came in and I absolutely love them. I had such a hard time deciding on which ones I wanted but I definitely made the right choice. Being able to do the invitations on line made it so easy and I thought that they would have been a lot more expensive but I was pleased with the final price. Yes, I did get a discount but even before the discount the price was great! Everyone can go on our website www.acharlestonevent.cceasy.com and get a 10% discount.

This is very exciting and I couldn't be happier about how things are coming along! Happy Planning:)

The Grand Departure

With wedding planning today, so many brides forget a very simple, yet important aspect to their wedding reception. The Grand Departure!

One might think, "what's the big deal? We're just leaving or the party is over". However, the departure of the newlyweds is what will stay in your family and guests memory as that is the last formality of the BIG day! And what about those photos? You don't want to miss out the opportunity to capture every single aspect of your wedding day.

Years ago, the couple departed from the church or reception site with rice. Of course we don't use rice anymore because of the environment (birds eat the rice, it swells in their stomachs and you all know the rest). We also don't use rice anymore, because frankly...it hurts! you only have to try it once to understand that there is nothing romantic about being hit in the face with small hard pieces of rice, and then later on pulling them out of your hair, dress and other places.

There are other wonderful options. Bubbles and Rose Petals are the most common and make a beautiful statement as well as keep the symbol of 'love' flowing even in this last act of the day. They provide a beautiful backdrop to your photos and everyone enjoys the act of grabbing a handful to toss. You do however have to check with your facility to ensure that they allow rose petals. A lot of hotels and churchs now no longer allow the beautiful petals, mainly due to the mess they leave behind. Rose petals can be hazardous on marble floors in hotels when guests step on them also.

Instead, you may want to think about a Lavender Toss, which is one of our favorites. If outside at churches, the light weight of the lavender blows off into the slightest of breezes and leaves no mess behind. The aroma permeates the air and has leaves behind a beautiful scent. These can be provided in baskets with small spoons or in hand-made cones just like rose petals.

Sparklers are another favorite for departures. Of course the photos are gorgeous and they symbolize celebration, just like the 4th of July. The make fabulous photo backdrops and your guests will absolutely love the fun of lighting them all at the same time. Things you must be careful of will be safety first (do not allow small children to handle sparklers). You need to plan this one out carefully. If you do not have a planner who is experienced in this, make sure you keep in mind some of the following tips:

(a) all the sparklers must be lit at the same time from one end of the line to the other
(b) the newlyweds must be waiting to come out as all the fireworks are being lit
(c) you cannot wait too long to let them burn down, as it just creates smoke, which is not great for your photos
(d) make sure you have a bucket of water (large) to place the sparklers in after they are depleted. This will save in people getting burned by the hot metal.
(e) Do use metal sparklers. The wooden ones tend to keep on burning and we have had incidents where they actually burned all the way down to the fingertips.

I think one of our favorites and safest is the use of light sticks for a grand send off. They are safe, fun for adults and kids alike and they make a beautiful photo at the end of your wonderful wedding. They are usually readily available all year long either online or at party stores and are inexpensive compared to the other means of departure elements.

No matter what you decide on, remember that this is the last formal act of the day. The day goes by so quickly and you'll want to keep these memories in the minds of your family, guests and most of all, your own. Take it all in and enjoy!
Photography credits:
Bubbles Departure: Lisa young Photography
Light Sticks Photos: Richard Bell Photography
Petal Cones: A Charleston Wedding
Sparkler Departure: A Charleston Wedding

To check out more options on planning the perfect departures,
contact our planners at A Charleston Event & Bridal Library