COCKTAILS ANYONE?

Weddings are not just about the champagne toast anymore. In fact, there are a lot of people that just do not drink champagne and the number of times we have witnessed the un-sipped glasses of champagne sitting on the tables for the banquet staff to clean up is unbelievable. So what's the answer? Well, you could just offer champagne right before the toasts, which should be a 'passed offering'. This way, those who do not drink champagne can decline politely and you'll not be 'out-of-pocket' on the expensive bubbly stuff.

There is something to be said about the drinks you serve at your wedding however. Whether you are serving alcohol or not, there is no doubt that hosting the cocktail hour with beautifully appointed drinks will add to the excitement and celebration of the day. Selecting a single or a few signature drinks will certainly allow your guests to see both your personalities shine through the wedding celebrations.
Selecting cocktails can be a tough one if you're not used to experimenting with different drinks. That is where a licensed and experienced bar service and planner come into the picture.

We all specialize in our different lines of business. That's why you hire the specialists in their field. Why is it then, that so many couples today really think they can handle the BAR when it comes to their weddings? Why would you even dream of having an open bar which has no control over who is being served e.g. under age kids, already highly intoxicated, the gardener....OK...I'm exaggerating, but you get my point. The worse thought in the world is the accident that took place after a wedding because the driver was so highly intoxicated from drinking at that wedding and no one realized it. What an awful thought each and every year on that wedding anniversary. (True story) Not to mention the liability attached to the 'HOST' of the wedding.

So on that thought, we've established that a licensed, insured and tip certified bar service is undoubtedly the way to go. They can monitor who's drinking responsibly and they can be the 'bad guy' when it comes to cutting someone off. They can also take an ordinary wedding and turn it into an unbelievably divine event and add to the ambiance and theme of the event. They will set up your bar, clean up afterwards and ensure you don't run out of certain drinks during the course of the event. For the price of a couple of extra service staff, your guests will feel as if they are in a 5 star resort being pampered with attention as they witness the array of awesome colorful concoctions being passed.

By all means, pass the wine and beer. However, offer a couple of alternatives, including non-alcoholic beverages for those that do not partake in alcohol consumption. There are still awesome drinks that in my mind could and should be served, that should look as beautiful and enticing as the 'apple to Adam'. Everything you serve at your wedding should be gorgeously inspired by the overall theme of the event.

If you look closely on these pretty drinks on the left, you'll notice they have place cards attached to them. What a wonderful way to welcome your guests to where they'll be seated? And of course, let's never forget the good old 'on the rocks' glasses even for the south's favorite - Sweet Tea Vodka.

One thing is for sure, you'll not be limited to ideas. Put some thought behind the theme of your wedding and perhaps the colors, environment where you'll be holding the event, the time of year and most of all, your own personalities. Speak to your planner and your bartender. Allow them to help you come up with some unique ways of serving a great surprise for all your guests. Just think about the photos after the wedding.

For more information on cocktail ideas (photos), check out:
http://www.fotosearch.com/photos-images/cocktails.html

http://www.123rf.com/stock-photo/cocktails.html

Also, for licensed Bar Service in the Charleston Area, check out
MIX Charleston

Cheers and Happy Planning!

Welcone Back

We want to take this opportunity to welcome back Mandi Kasey who briefly left A Charleston Event to have her beautiful son Wyatt. She has recently relocated back to Charleston from Ohio.

Amongst other exciting changes in her life, Mandi will be on hand to help all our brides with their planning needs, floral design and a shoulder to lean on when the need arises. Please feel free to call the office and ask for Mandi to chat about decor and planning.

Wedding Hairstyles

Styles, Picture of Wedding Hairstyles and Haircuts

There are enough things going on around you during the planning stages of a wedding and the last thing a lot of brides think about are doing a trial run for their hair for the wedding day.

A lot of brides just take it for granted that the person that cuts their hair will be doing their hair on their wedding day, only to find out that their hairstylist only does cut and color and really does not feel comfortable with 'updos'. Or perhaps they do not travel or are already booked on your wedding date.

So... you see where this is going? It's really about planning. Even your hairstyle needs to be planned out so you be confident that you will look and feel your best on your wedding day.

There are also a lot of other things to think about that may effect your decision on 'how' you will wear your hair on the big day. For instance,

• What time of year will your wedding take place? Will it be hot outside? You will certainly want to feel and look cool, calm and collected, even on the hottest days. Perfect time to think about pulling your hair back or perhaps consider an 'updo'.
  
  
• Will you mostly be indoors? If so, then you may not have to think about weather and other elements that may affect the 'staying power' of a great hairstyle. Heat (think sweat prevention) and intense cold (think static cling).
  
  
• Do you even like wearing your hair UP? We so often hear about brides having their hair done in an 'updo' because everyone tells them they must do so. Why would you do that? You wouldn't wear black lipstick just to please your friends if you didn't feel comfortable (or would you)? Stand your ground on this one and experiment to make sure you have the perfect look for your day.
  
  
• Do you have short hair and wear product? Again, experiment with your stylist to find some alternatives for perhaps a touch of color or different highlights.
  
  
• A veil or no veil? If you're going to do a trial run with your stylist, make sure you take along your hair piece, ornamental combs or veil to see how the look will come together.
  
  
• Will your bridesmaids also be requiring their hair to be done on the wedding day? If so, who will pay for it? Even though it is customary for the bride to offer to cover the charge for her attendants to have their hair done, a lot of brides today cannot afford this luxury and don't know how to broach the subject. Sooner than later is best. Find out what your stylist charges for blow dry, updos and other items such as makeup, air brush tanning, etc. If you can't afford it, let your attendants know in advance and give them the option of contacting and booking themselves. Don't close that door for them.
  
  
• Most of all, have fun with your wedding hairstyle. You will be the most photographed person on your wedding day. Make the most of it and enjoy it. Take in the pampering and luxury of being spoiled. Think about using pretty hair ornaments, combs and hair jewelery. You're the 'guest celebrity' on your wedding day. Make the most of it and allow yourself to shine.
  

Some useful sites to get some hairstyle ideas are:

• Hairstyles Talk.com

• Brides.com / hairstyles

• Wedding Channel / hairstyles

• Wedding Hair.com

Recommended Read for Proper Wedding Etiquette

Wedding Etiquette, 5th Edition

Emily Post's Wedding Etiquette, 5th Edition

The classic indispensable, comprehensive guide to creating the wedding of your dreams.

Today's weddings are more complicated than ever, with new traditions replacing old, and new relationships to consider as family life grows more complex. In this new edition, Peggy provides sensible solutions to wedding questions old and new, showing how to manage the big decisions and the little details with tact, consideration and confidence–– leaving you free to enjoy all of the happy times along the way!

With new chapters on the groom's involvement and incorporating today's technology into your wedding plans, plus updates and expansions on destination weddings, same–sex unions, wedding expenses, and more, the 5th edition answers every couple's contemporary questions. And Peggy Post continues to provide the tried and true guidelines every couple needs for a memorable wedding, from announcing the engagement, to budgeting for the ceremony and reception, to choosing the perfect caterer, florist, photographer and music–– and bringing it all off with minimum stress and maximum style.

Choosing your Bridesmaids

Loved this little chart that I found on the Bridal Tweet BLOG

Pickle: Choosing Your Girls

One of the first steps in wedding planning is choosing the bridesmaids.

The Pickle : I can't have 20 bridesmaids. How do I narrow it down?

The Solution : There are several articles you can find on this particular topic so I will give you a handy chart to aid you.

Essentially, fill it out, see who gets the most marks and you got your girls.

Well, mostly anyway. Let me explain.

According to my filled out chart below, I wanted 8 bridesmaids, I needed 4. The chart tells me it would have been Merissa, Mel, Jessica and Lila (names changed from my actual girls' names)

Here is how the chart is set up.
~ Absolute: The ones who will be your bridesmaid, no thinking about it.
~ Best/Closest: The girls who you are closest to and consider your best friends
~ Oldest: You've known these girls since childhood or since high school, or since college.
~ Family: Blood is thicker than water they say.
~ Facebook: Looking at how often you communicate. Do you facebook this person often?
~ Text: Do you text this person often?
~ Phone: Do you talk on the phone often?
~ Hang Out: Do you hang out, shop, eat often?
~ Meaning: This is the most important. What is the reason God brought that girl in your life? What role did she/does she play? How has she affected or changed you?

Merissa is my sister and my all-star on the chart.
Mel is one of my closet right now and very much a part of my life still. She was a no brainer.
I gave up Jessica, my bestest friend ever because she is in the military and couldn't get leave. I had no choice.
I gave up Lila because while she was my closest cousin, choosing her would have put a rift among my 3 other girl cousins in my family. I gave her a different role in my wedding and she knew and understood.
Ana was my sister to be, essentially family and saw it as absolute for her to be my bridesmaid. Plus, we get along so it was something I wanted.
Mary is one of my best friends who is probably the one friend I feel God actually brought to me as an answer to prayer at a certain time in my life for a specific reason. She holds a lot of meaning for me, so I chose her.
Jerry and Chrissy, while we used to be close and we have history, it just didn't feel right putting them in my wedding when we hardly speak anymore.

After analyzing the chart, I actually chose Merissa, Mel, Ana, and Mary. ( Jessica would've been my fifth, but I chose not to replace her, hen....)

So you can fill out the chart, but the last column could change your mind. Fill out the chart based on your relationship with that person now, not on how it was when you were in fifth grade. Pray about it and you will know who are the right girls to be in your wedding and it will feel right.

PRESS RELEASE

Charleston, South Carolina – January 24, 2011 - WeddingWire, the nation’s leading wedding technology company, is thrilled to announce A Charleston Event & Bridal Library AND CHARLESTON FLORALS has been selected to receive the prestigious annual WeddingWire Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011 for Wedding Design, Planning and Floral Decor! Recognition for the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011 is determined by recent reviews and extensive surveys from over 750,000 WeddingWire newlyweds. Our past clients are among those that shared their experiences on WeddingWire, the largest wedding review site in the nation. A Charleston Event & Bridal Library AND CHARLESTON FLORALS stand among the top five percent of wedding professionals in the WeddingWire community, representing quality and service excellence within the wedding industry. Awards were given to the top wedding professionals across 20 service categories, from wedding venues to wedding photographers, and were based on the overall professional achievements throughout the past year. “WeddingWire is honored to celebrate the success of the top-rated wedding professionals within the WeddingWire community,” said Timothy Chi, WeddingWire’s Chief Executive Officer. “With the annual Bride’s Choice Awards™ program, WeddingWire has the unique opportunity to recognize the best wedding professionals across the US and Canada. We applaud A Charleston Event & Bridal Library for their professionalism and dedication to enhancing the wedding planning experience for the last three years and CHARLESTON FLORALS this past year.” We are happy to announce that A Charleston Event & Bridal Library and CHARLESTON FLORALS is among the very best in Wedding & Event Design, Coordination and Planning within the WeddingWire Network, which includes leading wedding planning sites WeddingWire, Martha Stewart Weddings, Project Wedding and Weddingbee. We would like to thank our past clients for nominating us to receive the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011. For more information, please visit our WeddingWire Storefront today at http://www.weddingwire.com/vendor/VendorViewStoreFront?mode=edit&tab=profile For more information on the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011, please visit www.WeddingWire.com.

Donna & Ken

Congratulations to Donna & Ken, who tied the knot on September 25 at Wescott Golf Club.

The decided to use rich fiery colors that reflected a rich warm autumn theme. Donna particularly loved pumpkins, but so as not to give off a appearance that resembled Halloween, we ordered in cute little mini-boo pumpkins in whites, and accented with seasonal mums, that the guests took home to plant in their yards. Each year when the mums re-bloom, they will be reminded of Donna & Ken's wedding day.

Florals ~ Charleston Florals (A Charleston Event In-House Floral Division)

Venue ~ Westcott Golf Club

Photography ~ Photography by Terry Inc

Wedding Coordination ~ A Charleston Event & Bridal Library