Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Everyone has an opinion when it comes to wedding gowns and what you should wear. "No, no, white will wash you out, go with ivory" or "Ivory is too (whatever) go with a really, really white dress!" How do you pick? Where do you start and what is the difference between white, diamond white, winter white, cream, or ivory?
Event designers, surprisingly, get the "ivory vs white" question a lot as brides try to decide whether their dress color will impact their wedding design. My wedding dress was ivory and I felt compelled to use ivory everywhere instead of white. I found that ivory accessories were harder to find and often cost more. So, I was elated to see that Rhonda Patton of Rhonda Patton Weddings and Event Design tackled the whole ivory and white quandry via her very helpful wedding blog. Here's what she shared...
Image: The Collection
Rhonda Patton: I tend to have the biggest debate with brides over the color WHITE versus IVORY. Does it really matter?
Yes, it does matter!
The differences between ivory, cream, or white is highly significant when it comes to the subject of wedding gowns and flowers. Ivory should not be viewed upon as another shade of white like eggshell, diamond white, off-white, cream, or ecru - whatever that is! In terms of color, WHITE is stark white, pristine and mixes no shades of any other color - like pure white milk.
Let's examine gowns from one of my favorite bridal gown designers, AMSALE.
White gown by Amsale
IVORY has a slight tint of yellow or cream. Cream tends toward the warm, off-white tends towards the cool. Cream tends to be palely yellow with some sand tones. Off-white tends to use grays and browns as tones.
Diamond white gown by Amsale
Most women love wearing the unsullied color called white for their wedding gown. However, a huge number of women are opting for ivory shades of wedding gowns.
Ivory gown by Amsale
As per old wives tale, white is the color for virgin brides but it holds little relevance in today’s world. Whether you want white or ivory is totally a personal choice. The ultimate decision should rest on your skin tone (warm versus cool). For example, white can show off the paleness of your skin. However, some brides believe that white can be too austere. Ivory, having a touch of cream can actually be flattering to pale complexions.
Left to right: White, ivory and cream
The better choice for lighter skin tones is an ivory or antique white. Women with medium to dark-toned skin can often pull off a diamond white beautifully. Bright whites on darker skin tones are stunning!
Side Note: I've opted to wear white on my wedding day!
In regards to flowers, they are available in white, cream, or ivory. Some flowers work well with all three colors, (i.e. calla lilies and hydrangeas). Flowers that are available in stark white (roses, gladiolus, carnations, gardenias, paperwhites, stephanotis, stock).
Your florist can help determine what type and which shade of flower works best. In conclusion, white/cream/ivory does matter and it's important you convey the color or provide a color swatch in advance to your wedding vendors.
For more great planning and wedding inspiration visit Rhonda's website at RhondaPattonWeddings.com.
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Posted by Ashley of Ashley's Bride Guide |
Filed under: Advice & Planning, Details, Design & Florals0 comments »
Friday, January 20, 2012
Sunday is the Her Nashville bridal show and the crew at AshleysBrideGuide.com will attend to see what bridal goodies we can find to share with you next week. I reached out to Christy at Her Nashville to see what's in store for you. Here's what she had to say, " There will be a runway show (1pm) featuring gowns from Arzelle's, hair and make-up by Jon Alan Salon and flowers from Emma's. It's a great chance to meet with and talk with the vendors in a comfortable and intimate setting."
The show promises to be "The most fun way to plan your wedding is back! Join Her and Nfocus for an exciting wedding fashion show including food, mimosas or Cuestion tequila sunrise, and exhibitions from the best vendors in the wedding industry. It’s a one-stop shop to help you plan your perfect wedding..."
We're sold! To get your tickets, follow this link. We hope to see you there. If you see anyone from our team, say hello!
Date/Time:
Jan 22 from 11am-2pm (1pm runway show)
Location:
W.O. Smith School of Music
1125 8th Avenue South
Nashville, TN 37203
Vendors include:
5 Hour Energy | AmosEvents | Arzelle's | Cheekwood | Cuestion Tequila | Emma's Flowers | Fanciful Ink | Girl with the Pearl | Jon Alan Salon | Julia From Scratch | Maggiano's Little Italy | Nero's Grill | Perl Catering | Platinum Jewelers | Radisson Hotel | Stella & Dot - Kim Wright | The Corner Market | Wedding 101
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Posted by Ashley of Ashley's Bride Guide |
Filed under: Bridal Shows & Events0 comments »
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Over the next few weeks, we will share amazing finds from Nashville-area bridal shows. With so much bridal candy, it's hard to stay focused and stay smart but here's the trick - you must create a budget and do it now - before you hire anyone or buy anything.
Creating a wedding budget is one thing that most brides avoid. I hear so many brides say they haven't created a budget but they are hiring wedding vendors - that's like shopping for a car and you have no idea whether you can afford a Corolla or a Lexus. Before you read another bridal magazine, attend a bridal show or sign a single vendor contract - do the following:
1) Determine what can you afford to spend
Determine how much you and your fiance can comfortably spend on your wedding and honeymoon. Chat candidly because a lot of folks go into big debt planning a wedding and have no money for the important stuff. Imagine the problems that arise in the long run.
There was a bride who went to buy invitations and had no clue how much she could spend. So, she fell in love with a gorgeous wedding invitation that cost $10 per invitation. Days later, the very disappointed and embarrassed bride returned to the vendor and said, "What do you have for $2 per invitation?". At that point, she couldn't be happy with any invitation in her budget. Don't stress yourself out by looking at Oscar de la Renta gowns when you're on a David's Bridal budget.
You can find great wedding goodies in your budget but you will always be disappointed with you start outside your budget.
2) Assess what family can comfortably and willingly contribute
If others are helping you finance your wedding, ask them early on how much they are comfortable contributing to your wedding budget. Have a honest conversation with them so everyone is on the same page and there are no surprises that could spoil your day, or your relationship. If you are not comfortable discussing money with them, get the courage because the longer you wait, the more potential problems. In fact, if you cant candidly discuss the financial aspect of the wedding with them, do not depend on their contribution as you plan. Believe me, if its hard to discuss money at the beginning stages, it will be even harder and to ask the week of your wedding after you have signed contracts based on their contribution.
Ask now, don't assume and everyone will be happier in the long run. I know this first hand! I knew a bride whose aunt was paying for her wedding. It was like 2 months before the date and she still didn't know how much she had available. Every time she hired a vendor, her aunt (the financier) was disappointed. Because the bride didn't really know and was afraid to ask, there was a lot of stress.
3) Allocate your budget based on what's important to you
Once you have a final budget, write a list of all the major items you'll need for your big day. Rank each item in order of priority.
My list looked something like this: #1 Dress, #2 Cake, #3 Photos, #4 Invitations, #5 Incredible reception venue, #6 Solid ceremony venue, #7 Seated dinner...#48 Wedding shoes, #49 Favors, #50 Transportation, #51 Out of town guest baskets...and so on.
Once you compare your budget to your priorities, it becomes easier to determine how much to spend on each item. Start with what's most important to you because no bride can have everything. Some of my girlfriends decided that photos were #1 and so instead of hiring a photographer and a videographer, they put all of their photo/video budget together and hired a killer photographer. Others realized that videography was the only way to capture audio and special moments in action so they reduce their spend in other areas to ensure they had the budget.
Many brides wait until the last minute to hire a wedding planner and then try to scrape up money to hire someone for partial coordination when they really needed someone to help from start to finish, which would have saved them lots of stress and probably some money too. Bottom line - budget is critical! Set your immediately and stick to it.
Here's a tip - a good wedding planner is one vendor that you can not forgo. Nearly 90% of the brides that I feature in my Real Nashville Wedding stories say that they wish they'd hired a planner OR their planner was the vendor they couldn't live without. And, a planner can help you create and stick to your budget. They have the experience and know how to set and maximize budgets.
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Posted by Ashley of Ashley's Bride Guide |
Filed under: Advice & Planning0 comments »
Monday, January 9, 2012
This weekend, The Inspired Bride event will take place at Houston Station, one of Events Nashville's venues. If you haven't secured your wedding ceremony/reception location, this is a location to consider and this event on Sunday would make a perfect time to check out the space ,while meeting wonderful Nashville wedding vendors. And for brides who are willing to be flexible, Houston Station is offering 15% off Friday or Sunday wedding dates!
There are many reasons why I love Houston Station. While it's off the beaten path, its downtown location makes it an easy drive from most parts of greater Nashville. Once you walk inside, you fall in love with the limitless options. You definitely have to see the space yourself to rule it in or out, but here's my Q+A with the folks at Events Nashville, who manage Houston Station, along with some great pictures that to give you a peek into the space.
Photo: Matt Andrews Photography; Full wedding featured here.
Photos: Contact Houston Station for details
Quick Info About Events Nashville:
Main Contact: Elizabeth Gilbreath
Phone Number: 615.242.1916
Email: elizabeth {at} eventsnashville {dot} net
Learn more via their website: www.eventsnashville.net
Become a Facebook Fan: Houston Station
Follow them on Twitter: @HStationEvents
My Q+A with Events Nashville on Houston Station
The Events Nashville team manages Houston Station and the Ambrose House - our discussion here focused on Houston Station.
How many years have you been in business?
Events Nashville launched in 2008 and the Houston Station event venue opened in 2009.
What do you like most about weddings?
The chance to support each family on such a joyous day—seeing the mother of the bride relax and take her shoes off—You made it!
Photo: Krista Lee Photography
What’s your favorite wedding photo/video and why?
The bride pretending to stab the groom with the wedding cake knife. Brides and grooms, families and guests seem to feel laid back and comfortable having fun at Houston Station.
What is your service philosophy?
Houston Station is a tremendously flexible historic space—each bride and groom have their own special and unique wedding and reception experience. Historic venue spaces, wide open vendor policies, and our capable Events Nashville professionals support every bride and groom on their big day.
What are your strengths compared to others in your category? Why should a bride hire you?
Events Nashville sponsors wide open vendor policies and freedom of choice. Not only is this liberating for the bride and groom, but huge savings are provided, especially for food and alcohol budget items, compared to most other venues. Besides a warm and authentic historic ambiance, Houston Station has a convenient in-town location, great load-in access for vendors, full service valet parking, and ample professional support. And for hourly entertainment, we feature the train!
Who are your 5 favorite Nashville wedding vendors—helpfulness, professionalism, style?
Clean Plate Club, Monica Holmes—Super creative Planning and Catering
Southern Events for furniture and linens—Terrific value and service
PMC Valet—Great support at the front of the house
Noteable Blends—Rhythmic and melodic coffees Nashville
Nashville Event Lighting—Over-the-top ambiance on a budget
Photos: Jonathon Campbell Photography
Update: I goofed! The original title stated that the discount applies to Fri and Sat weddings but it only applies to Fri and Sun weddings.
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Posted by Ashley of Ashley's Bride Guide |
Filed under: Our Featured Advertisers!, Wedding Venues and Locations0 comments »
Friday, January 6, 2012
Whether you are southern bred, or at least plan to southern-wed, there is a good chance that you love southern cuisine. In fact, more and more brides and grooms are opting for southern wedding cuisine for their wedding day. Hey - we get it! There's nothing like it! From BBQ and ham and biscuits to peach cobbler, there's nothing quite like southern comfort food, especially when you find a professional who can dress your menu up or down to fit the vision of your big day, as is the case with Mrs. J's Baking and Catering.
Mrs. J's Baking and Catering is owned by Celeste aka Mrs. J. Last fall, I had the pleasure of meeting Celeste and we became fast friends. She has a personality and an easiness that just draws you in and makes you comfortable, just like southern food, I guess. She knows what she's doing, loves what she does and uses her family recipes to help couples bring a taste of Nashville to their casual or elegant wedding day.
If you are considering modern, southern cuisine for your wedding day, get to know more about Celeste and Mrs. J's in our spotlight below and then schedule your tasting!
About Mrs. J’s Baking & Catering:
Main Contact: Celeste Morris
Phone Number: 615-642-6217
Email Address: Singnbake {at} aol {dot} com
Visit Website: MrsJs.com
Follow via Twitter: @MrsJsBakencater
Become at Facebook Fan: Mrs. J's Baking and Catering
How many years have you been in business?
12 years—I started the business in 1999
How did you get started in weddings?
I was mostly doing corporate catering and a dear friend asked me to do her daughter’s cakes and wedding reception. From then on, my business has done more weddings year after year just from word of mouth.
What do you like most about weddings?
I love the personal connection that I feel with the couples and their families. The rush of excitement when you see their plans for their special day come together is like no other experience. I always feel honored and blessed to be asked to cater one of the most special meals/ events of people’s lives.
What’s your favorite wedding photo and why?
I LOVE the picture that I took at Cheekwood this September. It shows the beautiful bride, Kendal on her Dad’s arm, waiting for Kelley of Delightful Day to let her know when to start down the path to the altar. I was taking food shots of the reception and was lucky to capture the moment. I later sent it to Kendal’s mom and called it “Big Step” because it was such a special moment and it was something that I treasure. Plus, I got the food shots that I wanted in the process!
What is your service philosophy?
If you don’t find it on my menu—just ask and we can and will do it. If something is not as you like it, let us know and we will make it right. I know that I am very lucky to have been in business for as long as I have, I value my customers and their business and I know that my business is only as good as the service that we provide.
What are your strengths compared to others in your category? Why should a bride hire you?
First off it is the food-- My niche is Southern favorites, BBQ, and made from scratch desserts. I may not have anything and everything on my menu but the things that ARE there are very, very good.
My other strength is the people that work with me, they are fabulous and I am so very lucky to have the relationships and support that I do.
Who are your 5 favorite Nashville wedding vendors – helpfulness, professionalism, style?
Photographers: I love Jonathon Campbell Photography (Jonathon and Sharon), Wedlock Images (Scott and Donice), and Shots by Cheyenne (Cheyenne and Laci) —they each have amazing creative abilities, are professionals, fun to work with, and do a fantastic job of capturing every detail!
Flowers: I love Import Flowers, Lou and Jasmin will do everything to make sure that you find exactly what you want for flowers. They are patient and are great with creative suggestions and then steering you toward some fabulous floral designers.
Venues: Hands down it is Front Porch Farms, Kathy is a joy. She and Brian continue to amaze me with their creativity and versatility. It is a gorgeous spot not only for weddings but for all types of events.
Rentals: Southern Events is always my go-to for rentals; Jill is fantastic and always makes it happen.
All images courtesy of Mrs. J's Baking and Catering. Contact company for photo credits.
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Posted by Ashley of Ashley's Bride Guide |
Filed under: Our Featured Advertisers!, Cakes & Catering0 comments »
