A Delightful Day recently returned from Jamaica where they toured several Sandals properties to get the scoop on honeymoon spots. They are back (and I am still jealous) to share their tips / pics with us. Today's guest post is by A Delightful Day, Nashville wedding planner company. We have returned from Jamaica and we had a blast! Amber and I were training to be Sandals Specialists to make it an easy process for our brides to set up both their honeymoons and/or destination weddings. We arrange for our brides to speak to a bridal concierge service who finds the Sandals resort that best fits your needs. We were brought there to see the resorts first hand so that we knew what we are referring our brides to. It was a gorgeous island and began with a short almost 3 hour plane ride from Atlanta to reach sunny Jamaica. We had a 2 hour bus tour of the island to take us to the Sandals Grande Ocho Rios. Our resort was a mountainous resort, built into the St. Ann mountain range. It was very rustic with small villas in groups of fours, lots of lush vegetation, and very quiet and serene. The only downside to our resort was that it was a 5 minute bus ride across the street to get to the beach. All of the other Sandals resorts are beach side, but our resort was more meant to focus on forest and we had some gorgeous pools. I have several pics from each Sandals resorts that we toured. Not all of the Sandals resorts on the island were toured by our group, however, there were several more in Negril and Whitehouse.
Here is Amber and I enjoying what Jamaica is known for, Jamaican Rum Punch, and let me tell you, it will kick your butt. It's Rum with a little fruit punch. On our bus tour to the resort, we stopped at a market on the side of the road and they had Jamaican Jerk chicken and Rum Punch. The jerk chicken is delicious!
When we arrived at the resort, the staff really treats you like a King or Queen. At all of the resorts, the motto for the staff is whatever you want, we can do as long as it's legal. Jamaican's really want to pamper you whether you're at one of the more mid range resorts or a high end resort. This was the sitting room that was at the entrance of our villa. It overlooks lush vegetation and a private pool that you share with 3 other rooms in your villa.
This was our private pool area. Very relaxed and secluded with the coverage of the vegetation.
Our bedroom with a King size bed and a great view into the forest like setting.
You can see the cabanas and the swim up bar better in this picture. Soooooo relaxing. We didn't partake of the pool, because we opted for the beach. How often are you on a beach in Jamaica?!?! Now here are some beach pictures to make you jealous! ;)
One of the Sandals resorts Chef's came and fixed us two of the island staples beach side, Jamaican jerk chicken and coconut fried shrimp. I'm not a seafood eater, but that coconut shrimp was wonderful. All complimented with Jamaican rum punch.
Wouldn't this be an incredible view for a reception?
The Sandals Royal Caribbean has it's own private island where guests can be boated out to the island where there is plenty of spots for sunbathing. It has one resturant, Thai, that is only open at night, so for food during the day there are spots for snacks. There is also a side of the island that is "clothing optional" for those of you who are more daring.
Here is us soaking in the few rays we did receive in our free time on the beach. This is myself, Amber, and two other planners we met on our trip.
We had a fabulous time in Jamaica and highly recommend it! We wish we would have been able to take in more of the sights of Jamaica and enjoyed the resorts more, but we had a wonderful time anyways. Our next plan is St. Lucia winter of next year to tour the St. Lucia Sandals resorts! If you have any questions or inquires, or are wanting to set up your Sandals Honeymoon, please contact us directly by phone 615.428.4983 or email at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) and we will put you in touch with our own personal bridal concierge service through Sandals who will arrange your entire honeymoon for you! Happy planning!
Finally a blog about jewelry! Yeah - I never write about wedding jewelry so I was excited about this blog. Plus, Elizabeth Gregory Fine Jewelers offers ABG brides a discount so be sure to mention it when you visit the store. I think it's 25% off the setting (not the stone). I'm so lucky to have friends who pick up my slack... Today's guest post is by A Magical Affair, Nashville wedding planner.
When it comes to rings, most people think of that ever-shiny and pretty engagement ring that the guy gives his lady as a pledge of his love and affection. That ring ends up setting a tone for the wedding band that the to-be groom will purchase for his to-be bride. The shopping for a ring can be one of the most stressful experiences for your guys, ladies, maybe even more so than the actual wedding planning process!
But, an important responsibility falls on your shoulders, too-- and that's the selection of his very-special ring, the wedding band. We talked with our friend in the jewelry business (and soon to be groom this June!), Benjamin Meisch of Elizabeth Gregory Fine Jewelers in Brentwood, TN about some cool and unique wedding bands, and he gave us all the coolest and most unique rings that Elizabeth Gregory carry from Scott Kay. (Ladies, a quick PSA: Elizabeth Gregory is our favorite jeweler in the Nashville area-- not just because they give the best customer service, but they have the best selection of unique and beautiful jewelry around. Looking for a cool gift for your 'maids? They have beautiful necklaces from Fana and Gellner pearls. Want to give your guy a present that he can set his watch to-- what about an incredible piece of art that is also a timepiece from Ulysse Nardin? We can't sing their praises enough, and you should head over to Maryland Farms to check out their selection and service ) Back to the rings. We really like this ring because it's unique and innovative, and has a timeless feel:
And if you're looking for the more "classic ring", we like this updated traditional ring with a beautiful finish:
We compiled this cool ring "inspiration board" to show off the array of rings that Scott Kay offers, showing that you can really find that perfect ring for him:
The top row of rings offers a more modern, contemporary look, with inset designs from engraving to diamonds (hey, he could use a little sparkle on his ring finger, too, brides!) Want some texture? The middle ring shows off a cool inter-weaved design in solid platinum. There's also a brushed finish ring to the far left and below it, another weaved design that really makes the ring unique. The last row shows off some really cool metalwork offered by Scott Kay. Want your guy to show off his commitment & style-- one of these might be perfect for him! Benjamin and his dad, Gregory, own Elizabeth Gregory at Maryland farms, and they have an awesome selection of bands, rings, and much more from Scott Kay and other designers, like JB Star and Christian Bauer. We highly recommend them for their unique selection, awesome customer service, and beautiful jewelry. Who knows, you might find something for him...and for yourself on your special day, too.
Relish, a hot new invitation company, has invited us to their launch party! Last week, I hinted about a May 4 event...well, I can finally share the scoop. Can't believe I was able to keep the secret so long.
What's Relish?
For starters, Relish is an invitation company based in Nashville. Relish allows you to build-your-own invitation - online. Using their color palettes and patterns, you can build affordable, custom invitations online, in the comfort of your home - no pressure:) The process is super easy and brings an affordable, custom invitation option to brides everywhere. But, they are based here in Nashville, so we get them first!
My Interview with Relish
Learn all about Relish by watching my "AshleyCam" interview. I'll admit, it's a bit amateur (sound-wise) so you see why I am not a wedding videographer. Plus, McNeal Video and Dynamic Video were busy shooting weddings so I had to rely on my trusted tripod.)
The Must-Attend Relish Events!
Exclusive Launch Party - Sunday, May 4
The Relish Launch Party is primarily for the city's top wedding planners. Everyone who is anyone will be attending. (Planners - if you haven't rsvpd, this is your friendly reminder.)
But, if you are a Nashville bride and want to check out their invitation line in person, contact me asap to get on my VIP guest list. I am honored to have received an invitation to this special event and I want to take a few of my readers with me.
The event is designed to introduce everyone to their super cute invitations and interactive website. Plus, we'll have an opportunity to win neat prizes (facials, gift certificates) and meet some great Nashville bridal vendors.
Online Launch Party - Monday, May 5
Unable to get on the guest list for the Relish party? No worries. Relish is hosting an eParty for brides everywhere! Save the date, set your phone alarm, set an email reminder - do whatever - but make sure you log onto www.getrelish.com on May 5 as this is an event that you do not want to miss.
Anyway - the guest list is limited so contact me if you want to attend the party. Fun, food and fabuless invitations - promise.
UPDATE: If you are a bride who is interested in attending this event with me on Sunday, let me know as I have a few extra spots available as of today, April 30! Contact me.
I have been a fan of IKEA for over 10 years. Although Nashville doesn't have a store (yet), I await the day that we do. Until then, I stock up whenever I visit an IKEA city. What I love about IKEA is their modern style and fabuLESS prices. What makes them great is that IKEA is a lifestyle store - a place you can shop for any occasion - from college dorm, new home to new baby. They sell candles and hardwood flooring - who else can do that? When I got married, of course, I visited the store for fab finds for my wedding. The result - dual purpose bridesmaid gifts. I bought amazing vases (2 feet tall) to decorate my tables and wrote messages in gold along the bottom of the vase for each maid. At the end of the night, I presented each maid with a vase.
Now, I love when I visit their homes and see how they have incorporated the vases into their home decor!
So, when I visited IKEA Atlanta last week, I simply had to take pics to share with you, since their website sucks and never does the store justice. (Note - shipping is a nightmare). From creative brides to wedding planners, IKEA is a great store for weddings! Plus, the goods are so reasonable (and quality) that you can own them versus rent them - give them away or sell on eBay. Love it! Check out the slideshow and make sure you have extra space (and shopping time) whenever you're in an IKEA city! Atlanta roadtrip anyone?
Today's blog is by Rhonda Patton Weddings, an amazing floral event designer in Nashville, TN. Rhonda is trend-setter who is always educating the Nashville bridal community (brides and planners) on how to recreate the stunning looks we see in bridal magazines and on t.v. Contact her to get these amazing looks for your wedding day. Out with contrived centerpieces, in with timeless tablescapes... Tablescapes are arrangements of items gathered in a grouping on top of a table. They're sometimes called tabletop arrangements. A tablescape includes a centerpiece and arrangement of other items. Some popular wedding reception tablescapes can include floral centerpieces, candelabras, pillar candles, votive candles, glass cylinders with floating candles, picture frames, lamps, plates, charges and other decorative accessories.
6 steps to creating timeless tablescapes: 1. Limit displays to three items to avoid clutter. 2. A tablescape arrangement should cover no more than 1/3 of the table top. 3. Floral arrangements should contain items of different heights, sizes and textures. 4. For balance, arrange tablescape items of different sizes and textures in staggering heights. 5. Color is the best tool of design. Color can affect your emotions, and mood. When designing tablescapes and table settings, be consistent with color; then you can mix patterns and shapes. Color is the most powerful tool or element of design. 6. Be creative. Fabrics can be used for added texture and color. I am currently designing several tablescapes for upcoming weddings and my primary focus is layering or stacking. Current trends in tablescapes include a look referred to as layering or stacking. This trend gives depth or dimension. It's achieved with color, texture, height and placement such as using items of three different heights on one surface or "grouping" a cluster of items.
I love this tablescape!! Not only is it rich in color but the layering gives the tablescape a beautiful dimension. This table is consistent with color but mixed with patterns and shapes. I love the variety of flower selection in the similar red hues. The result of a tablescape should be a harmonious one. This means that the eyes of your guests should flow easily from left to right. The selection and placement of objects in a tablescape should present a feeling of harmony and unity. Harmony (scale, proportion, and balance) can be achieved using color, depth, layering and textures.
This layered look includes a citrus color palette of roses and dahlias. The table runner brings balance, the 3 arrangements is harmonious and the varied texture flowers makes this tablescape timeless! (Contact Rhonda Patton Weddings for photo credits and for a consultation.)
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