Grace and Leisure

Deena and Brad's December Wedding in High Point!

2012-01-17T18:25:00.000-05:00

Hi Friends,

I hope you'll forgive me for staying away for so long. I gave birth to a beautiful baby boy (if I do say so myself) on November 23rd, and have been enjoying every moment with him since he arrived. It was a bit crazy getting through those last winter weddings when I was 9+ months pregnant and then when I had a new baby, but I did it with the help of some AMAZING women and I am very grateful to Katherine Hollander, Samantha Kozub, Elise Bruce, and Amanda Scott for their incredible help, support and dedication. I absolutely could not have kept my business going without them!

Here is a link to the Southern Weddings blog, which over the weekend posted the video from Inkspot Crow Films of Deena and Brad's gorgeous winter wedding in High Point, NC. Check it out to see the amazing work of all of the fabulous vendors involved (who are listed in the blog) and to see the gorgeous couple and family, and exquisite wedding day.

http://iloveswmag.com/2012/01/14/southern-winter-wedding-film-from-inkspot-crow/

Thank you to MacKenzie at Inkspot Crow Films for sharing!

XOXO
grace

Our first wedding in Weddings Unveiled Magazine!

2011-10-04T19:09:00.000-04:00

As promised, here is a link to Paige and John's gorgeous wedding at Blackberry Farm in Walland, TN, as featured in this fall's Weddings Unveiled Magazine.http://www.weddingsunveiledmagazine.com/real-weddings-details/paige-john/

Paige & John - Blackberry Farm, Tennessee

2011-08-10T13:41:00.000-04:00

I have been remiss in posting more photos of Paige and John's absolutely beautiful wedding that took place in April at the gorgeous resort Blackberry Farm in Walland, Tennessee. Check out these amazing photos taken by Watson Studios. It's impossible to take a bad picture of this couple, but the Watsons truly have an incredible eye for beauty and detail.

And great news...we just found out this wedding is to be featured in the fall issue of Weddings Unveiled Magazine, so keep your eyes peeled for that!

XOXO
grace

http://www.watson-studios.com/2011/06/blackberry_farm_wedding_paige.html

Cristina and Cole - Classic Elegance in High Point

2011-06-22T14:46:00.000-04:00

Wedding season is in full swing, so I hope you'll forgive me for not posting for a month now! We have one more big event this weekend before we get a much needed break, including a trip to Colorado and a week at the beach. It's been hard earned, and I can't wait! My team has been amazing this spring, and I really can't thank them enough. BIG love and thanks to Samantha Kozub, Katherine Hollander, and Rani Darling.

I'm just now trying to gather photos from all of our spring weddings. Here is a link to some beautiful highlights from our big June 4th wedding in High Point. I worked on this wedding for over a year, and all of the time and effort certainly paid off. It was a really spectacular day and I was proud to be a part of it. There were many, many talented and hard working people involved in making this event go off without a hitch including: Natalie Carter Hyde of Aesthetic Images Photography, the inimitable JW Walton of The Catering Company who dreamed up the gorgeous decor and design of the event (as well as provided the first class catering), Randy McManus, the amazing florist, Party Reflections, the Art of Cake (look at that cake!!), Trolleys Inc., Sterling Carriage, Eastcoast Entertainment, and many more. Thank you to you all. We loved working with you!

Above all else, congratulations to Cristina and Cole!

http://aestheticimages.net/shows/QubeinBuckfelderWedding/

Barbara & Douglass's Rainy, Romantic Day

2011-05-23T13:56:00.000-04:00

Check out this beautiful video created by the Ink Spot Crow film crew out of Durham of Barbara and Douglass's rainy and wonderful wedding day in April. They truly captured the feeling of the day which, despite the rain, was incredibly cheerful and upbeat. Congratulations to Barbara and Douglass and thank you to all of the fabulous vendors who worked extra hard on this difficult day!

XOXO
grace

http://www.inkspotcrow.com/2011/05/13/douglass-barbara-wedding-highlights/

Picture Perfect

2011-04-28T17:07:00.000-04:00

Well, we don't get a gold star for updating our blog regularly...but you'll be glad we waited until we had something good to share!! We've been busy this spring planning and planning, and finally we've had the

chance to experience some of the fabulous weddings we've been working on. As always, I will share more photos as they come my way but for now, feast your eyes on these wonderful images from last weekend.

We were so fortunate to be a part of the planning and coordination of Paige and John's wedding at Blackberry Farm in Walland, Tennessee. www.blackberryfarm.com If you aren't familiar with Blackberry,

take some time to go through their website. It's an incredible property that set the stage for a personal,

intimate, private, family-oriented and breathtakingly beautiful wedding weekend for Paige and John, who traveled from Chicago to be married there.

Here is a photo of the newlyweds after the carriage ride they took from

the ceremony to the cocktail reception.

Here's a shot of them cutting the cake, which we brought in from The Art of Cake in Chapel Hill, NC.

It was a lovely rendition of a Martha Stewart cake. Hopefully I'll have more photos later. You can

see me in the corner in my blue dress, watching carefully to make sure they don't need help!

Here's the gorgeous couple at the end of the ceremony. The bride's mother is a fabulous interior designer, so the decor of the event was magnificent and detailed. This wrought iron arbor was brought in from High Point, North Carolina and decorated by an amazing florist from New York City.

Here's the blushing bride and her proud father. I've known them a very long time, so it was extra special to see her walk down the aisle and to be a part of her big day.

Here's a shot of the venue for cocktail and the reception, from afar. The barn is was just stunning inside - dripping with flowers and candlelight. There was a big tent adjacent to the bar, where dancing, dessert,
and late night snacking took place.

Cocktail hour. You can get a sense for what a *perfect* day it was weather-wise and otherwise. We loved working with the entire Blackberry team, Ashley Moss in particular, and with vendors who were new to us, including Dan and Natalie Watson of Watson Studios (photography), Julio Jimenez (florist), Chariots of Hire, Bobby Yang (incredible musicians), Sound Ventures, and All Occasions party rental. All in all, it was a wonderful weekend, and not one that we will soon forget.

Congratulations to Paige and John!

XOXO
grace

Out of The Box Bouquet

2011-02-18T14:15:00.000-05:00

I saw this photo on www.stylemepretty.com today and can't get over how gorgeous this bouquet is (not to mention the dress and shoes...to die for!). This was created by a group of of L.A. called www.peonyandplum.com

This just got me thinking about choosing a bouquet that is colorful and different from all of the whites and ivories that we tend to see walking down the aisle. Why not add a bit of flare, sass, and color to the mix? It shows so much style and energy and will really liven up your look. This bride opted for peonies and roses above all, and topped it off with a fabulous peacock blue bow. LOVE! Other great flowers to choose for color include calla lillies, ranunculus, lysianthus, freesia, tulips, and delphinium. Hypericum berries are also a great way to get a pop of green in the arrangement, and they add wonderful texture too.

Get creative and colorful with your bouquet! Just because you are wearing white, doesn't mean to you have to carry it, too.

XOXO
grace

Contest for FREE photography for your wedding day!

2011-02-17T16:29:00.000-05:00

Our friends at Tracy Turpen Photography are holding a fabulous contest for one lucky couple to win free photography for their wedding day. Check it out! You'd be soooooooooo lucky to get Tracy to photograph your wedding...her photos are simply beautiful.

In the words of Tracy:
"I wanted to let you know about a contest that we are offering to any engaged couple who plans to have their wedding from May 21st, 2011 through April 30th, 2012. They will receive a full day of free wedding photography complete with some added bonuses. It isn't limited to local weddings either. Travel to wedding site is free of charge as well. Attached is the flyer that is posted on our blog describing the details of the contest. We are doing it because we really want to find that couple who deserves to have beautiful images from their big day."

Check out Tracy's work at www.tracyturpen.com
XOXO

Our First Style Me Pretty Feature!

2011-02-09T21:51:00.000-05:00

Check out this gorgeous Southern country wedding that we were fortunate enough to be a part of last September in Chapel Hill. We are so proud and excited to have a feature on Style Me Pretty!

Enjoy!

XOXO
grace

http://www.stylemepretty.com/2011/02/09/north-carolina-wedding-by-kellie-kano-photography/

L'Orage Casino Night

2011-01-26T18:32:00.000-05:00

Six years ago, I created a group with some friends called "L'Orage", which is French for "The Storm", to put together an event to raise funds for victims of Hurricane Katrina. L'Orage held a very successful fundraiser at Pop's restaurant in Durham with dinner, music and a silent auction, and we were able to give a substantial amount of money to the Interfaith Food Shuttle - a Triangle wide organization that helps to feed people in need.

In November, L'Orage was resurrected by a larger group of my friends, with an even larger group of women signing on to help where they could. We decided to plan a fabulous casino night event in Durham, this time to benefit a Durham organization called KidZNotes which teaches classical music to young children in "challenged" areas of Durham.

On Saturday, we held a fun and festive affair at the Durham Arts Council downtown with 175 people in attendance. We were able to raise about $4,000 for KidZNotes, which we are very proud of! I wanted to share with you a blog post from Durham Magazine, so you can read a bit about the event and see a few photos.

Hopefully, we will have many more successful and fun events in the future and some of you can come out to support us. We'd love to have you there!
http://www.durhammag.com/blogs/durham-magazine-blog/high-rollin'-at-l'orage-casino-night/index.html

XOXO,
grace

Whitney & Justin - An Asheville Affair

2011-01-19T12:44:00.000-05:00

Our good friend Ivy Robinson www.ivyrobinson.com asked us to carry out the weekend of a very special wedding she had planned, but couldn't be present for due to previous obligations. She created a gorgeous wedding, and we were more than happy to be the ones to see it through.

Whitney and Justin are a sweet couple who not only look like the perfect J.Crew models, but are obviously head over heels in love. It was a pleasure to work with them and so fun to be a part of their beautiful ceremony and wild reception - what a party!

Thanks to all of the fabulous vendors involved and especially to my own Katherine and Rani, who helped make the weekend run super smoothly. And thanks again to Ivy for trusting us with her wedding. Enjoy this spread in Charlotte Wedding Magazine!

http://www.charlottemagazine.com/Charlotte-Wedding/January-2011/Real-Wedding-Whitney-amp-Justin/

XOXO
grace

Kathryn and Chris Tie The Knot at Figure 8 Island

2010-12-31T08:41:00.000-05:00

Here's a link to a gorgeous slideshow by the very talented Natalie Carter Hyde of Aesthetic Images of our last wedding of the season at Figure 8 Island, North Carolina. What a perfect day. Enjoy!
http://www.aestheticimages.net/shows/CongdonHarrellWedding/

A sneak peak at our Figure 8 Island wedding...

2010-11-15T10:20:00.001-05:00

This past weekend Samantha, Katherine and I had the pleasure of working on a wedding at Figure 8 Island in Wilmington, North Carolina that I had been planning for about 8 months or so. The couple was absolutely adorable and so in love and everything about the day from the weather to the decor, food, music and guests, was absolutely picture perfect.

Here are a few photos for a sneak peak and what the day was like. The black and white shot was taken by Katherine on her phone, and I think it's absolutely beautiful. The others were taken by my phone and aren't great, but they give you a sense for the style and colors and let you see the gorgeous bride!!

XOXO
grace

Andi and Mike Tie The Knot

2010-11-03T11:37:00.000-04:00

On Saturday, we had the great opportunity of helping coordinate the wedding "day of" for Andi Kravitz and Mike Weiss. The wedding ceremony and reception took place at the beautiful Marriott North Hills in Raleigh, where they do a spectacular job! Thanks to Ann and Christy and all of the hard working people in the catering department there.

Shane Snider took amazing photos, as always, as you can see in the slide show below. Blair from Reel Life Productions shot video, while the fabulous band 10 Spot got people to dance the night away. Cupcakes from The Cupcake Shoppe in Raleigh were a huge hit, and Andi's Vera Wang gown from Alexia's Bridal in Cary was absolutely stunning. Thank you to all of those who were involved and helped to make Andi and Mike's Big Day such a smooth and fun celebration!

www.shanesnider.com/slideshows/andimike

XOXO,
grace

Simply Eyelet

2010-11-02T14:00:00.000-04:00

I have a beautiful bride friend who is getting married on a prairie next summer and is looking for

a simple, lovely, eyelet wedding gown. I did some research and found this gown, among others,

but am wondering if any of you have any ideas for my friend of gown designers who've recently made an eyelet gown? If so, please post your ideas!

XOXO

grace

California Dreaming (and Visiting)

2010-10-13T18:57:00.000-04:00

I just returned from a brief but LOVELY trip to a gorgeous place called Stinson Beach. It's just 20 miles
North of San Francisco (up a very long, winding road...) but feels a world away from the city.

Here are some photos of the coastline and the water taken from our Cali convertible...

The beach.

And the magnificent sunset.

Also a beautiful, domestic idea for a honeymoon! We rented amazing houses and cooked every night,
which was cozy and delicious and gave us all a really good opportunity to spend time with one another.
I hope you have a vacation in your future sometime soon, too.

Just a reminder to us all that it's important to take a break every now and again and to make time for yourself, your family, and the ones you love.

XOXO
grace

Wish Upon A Wedding

2010-10-04T13:12:00.000-04:00

A good friend of Grace Leisure Events, Ivy Robinson is also the President of the inaugural board for the Carolinas' Chapter of a wonderful organization called Wish Upon A Wedding, that creates weddings for people who otherwise would not be able to afford them.

Please read below for more information and to attend this great event on November 12th!
Hi Friends, Family, Clients and Industry Neighbors!

Today I am emailing about an important cause. I serve as the President on the inaugural board for the Carolinas' Chapter of Wish Upon a Wedding. (www.wishuponawedding.org) Personally seeing family and friends who have been directly connected with terminal diseases, this is a cause in which I am quite passionate.

We would like to formally invite YOU and ALL of your friends and family to attend the 1st annual
Fundraising Gala at the Ritz Carlton on Friday, November 12th in Charlotte.
Tickets can be purchased here: http://wishuponaweddingcarolinas.eventbrite.com/
In order to attend or participate with WUW, you do NOT have to be connected in any way with the wedding industry.
You just need to be a caring person who loves a charitable cause and wants to give back.

What is WUW?

Wish Upon a Wedding is the world’s first nonprofit wish granting organization providing weddings and vow renewals for couples facing terminal illness and serious life-altering circumstances regardless of sexual orientation. Our organization offers couples a chance to enjoy a very special day, without any thoughts of existing health or other serious issues, while surrounded by their closest family and friends. By celebrating the courage & spirit of these couples, we help create lasting memories that will be cherished for years to come. It is our hope that others facing similar situations will find hope, strength, and the promise of eternal love. Officially launched in January of 2010, Wish Upon a Wedding currently has over a dozen chapters to serve Wish Applicants. We service couples residing in or wishing to get married within 300 miles of any one of our chapter locations.

Ticket Information:

Tickets for the gala are $100 and include the following: entry ticket, cocktail hour, plated dinner, wine service with dinner (full bar avail), swag bag, & silent auction. We also have a discounted rate with the Ritz Carlton and only $179/night. Wow. Also, $37 of the ticket are tax deductible.

P L E A S E consider attending this year's gala. Many companies are considering having this gala be their Holiday Party, and are sponsoring a table. Please email me at ivy@ivyrobinson.com if you are interested in buying a table sponsorship.

We also are thrilled that Sasha Souza, WUW national President and event planner Extraordinaire will be attending our Gala! There are 10 seats at her table for $150 a seat AND includes an autographed copy of her new book! Email me for details on sitting with Sasha!

THANKS!!!!

Duke University Wedding

2010-09-27T12:27:00.001-04:00

Thanks to Danielle Freedman and her District Weddings Blog for posting a great piece about one of our favorite couples from last year, Caitlin and Kevin. They are Duke graduates who met in undergrad and as you'll see in the post, had a beautiful ceremony reception at their alma mater. Thanks again to Rachel Garrison of Tamara Lackey Photography for the stunning photos! We hope you can't help but be inspired by this.

http://www.districtweddings.com/back-to-school-duke-university-wedding/

XOXO
grace

Simply Silhouettes

2010-09-25T12:22:00.000-04:00

I know I may be late to the party on this one, but I am currently obsessed with silhouettes!

They are so fresh and chic right now,

and such an innovative and cool thing to add to your wedding look. See the photo above

by Hannah Suh of an artist cutting out silhouettes of wedding guests. How fun! What a great

souvenir for them to take home from your wedding and save forever.

Here's a great idea: add silhouettes to your cake! Here they've used a chandelier motif along

with a couple dancing, but you could do your two faces looking at one another, or the outline

of your entire bodies holding hands. So cute and different.

Here's a gorgeous wedding invitation that has incorporated silhouettes. Why not begin the theme with your invitations and carry it all the way throughout your event, to your cake and your favors? I love the idea of threading a concept all the way through the wedding and a silhouette theme is a perfect choice for this. Get inspired! Look for silhouette artists in your neighborhood.

Happy Weekend!

XOXO
grace

Monique Bliss

2010-09-25T11:46:00.001-04:00

For those of you who don't already know, Monique Lhuillier has a new line called Bliss that is a bit less expensive than her original line. This gives you and your budget savvy self an opportunity to wear a gorgeous Monique gown and feel as if you're wearing couture! I just fell in love with one from the 2011 collection with a beautiful lace bodice and lace straps. When I was shopping for a wedding gown in 2004, there was nothing to be found but strapless, strapless, strapless. It's so nice to see that there are more silhouette options out there now and Monique is certainly leading the way.

Enjoy!
http://www.moniquelhuillier.com/

XOXO
grace

Fifi Cheek - Blogs We Love!

2010-09-24T11:50:00.000-04:00

I'm feeling so inspired this morning by my good friend LC's Blog called "Fifi Cheek".
Her posts are fresh and feminine and I totally connect with her love of all things French
and beautiful. Her home is a true reflection of the style that she adores and what's more,
she designed it all herself. If only you could see it! Get a glimpse inside her world
at http://fificheek.blogspot.com/

Happy Weekend!
XOXO
grace

White Wedding

2010-09-06T10:25:00.000-04:00

Thank you to Josie at www.preownedweddingdresses.com for posting this wedding of ours!

http://www.preownedweddingdresses.com/blog/a-lovely-white-wedding

XOXO

June Wedding

2010-08-16T10:34:00.001-04:00

The Bride and her father walking down the aisle...

Beautiful detail photos by Tammy Wingo.

This event was designed by Premiere Catering & Events, Fresh Affairs, Jeff Simpson Lighting,
and CE Rental. We were the "day of" coordinators and were so happy to be a part of it!

The gorgeous and elaborate head table.

Pre-set first course with place cards.

It's all about the details!

A different perspective of American Tobacco's Bay 7 warehouse.

The bouquet toss.

The happy couple. Congratulations, Jessica and Graham!

Thank you to everyone who helped make this day so successful: Heather Irvin, Vicki Phaneuf, Jeff Simpson,
Lyn Graves, Tammy Wingo, Samantha Kozub and others.

Inspiration from Style Me Pretty

2010-08-13T13:08:00.000-04:00

Check out our good friend Lindsey Cheek and her adorable husband in this over-the-top beautiful
inspiration piece on Style Me Pretty. You still make a gorgeous bride, Lindsey!

XOXO

http://www.stylemepretty.com/2010/08/13/from-inspiration-to-reality-the-design-24/

The Girls

2010-08-09T17:43:00.000-04:00

Here's a photo of Katherine and me taken this weekend at a wedding in Asheville. We were lucky enough to help my good friend Ivy Robinson with a wedding of hers that she couldn't be there for. It was a great experience and a fabulous time was had by all! Ivy ordered boas to be handed out during the party and needless to say, they were a huge hit. Hopefully I'll have some photos of the wedding to share later on...it was gorgeous!

XOXO

Real Wedding featured in The Knot!

2010-07-19T17:26:00.004-04:00

Here's a link to a wedding we did in March of 2009 that is currently featured in The Knot. My first job in New York City in 1999 was at The Knot when only 25 people worked there. It's amazing to me how sometimes life comes full circle! Enjoy.

http://weddings.theknot.com/Real-Weddings/70583/view.aspx?id=70583&type=1&location=107

XOXO
grace

Color Theory

2010-07-12T17:42:00.006-04:00

I am so inspired by this table by Eddie Ross! He is a genius and you should look up his work at www.eddieross.com along with another fabulous and inspirational blog called "Absolutely Beautiful Things", which I adore. Find it here at: http://absolutelybeautifulthings.blogspot.com/

Sometimes all it takes is one photo to inspire a room or to inspire an entire event! To me, this photo shows a table that could be set in someones gorgeous home or at a club for a bridesmaids' luncheon or a restaurant for an ultra chic baby shower. Whatever the occasion, you can see that Eddie is not afraid of color and neither should you be.

The way Eddie plays the pinks and corals off of the turquoise goblets, candlesticks and napkins is bold and brave and unexpected. The various runners offer a different option than just placing one down the center of the table. The bunches of peonies add an incredibly soft and feminine touch and of course, the pink chiavari chairs do too. They are to die for!!! I cannot wait until the day that we can get chiavaris of all colors in North Carolina...I envy you New Yorkers who can wash a room in color with the choice of chair.

Don't be afraid to mix and match tones! You can see how well it has worked here and what a fun, lively, lovely and lady-like yet tailored look he has created. Look at these two sites for inspiration for your home and your event - I guarantee you'll find something that will set your wheels in motion.

xoxo
grace

Jenny and Tomas

2010-07-12T11:50:00.002-04:00

I want to share with you a photo of my latest couple to get hitched, Jenny and Tomas. They were wed on Saturday at Duke Chapel and then had a gorgeous blow-out celebration afterwards at Bay 7 in Downtown Durham. I'll share some photos with you when I get them from Azul Photography, because it was absolutely beautiful! It was my first purely Latin wedding and I just loved the flavor of the food, music, people and culture. Such a good looking crowd and they danced like it was their last night on earth - I love that!! Enjoy and I'll be back in touch soon with more.

xoxo,
grace

The Moment of Truth

2010-07-08T11:08:00.004-04:00

I was recently telling a friend a story about a wedding I did on June 26th, and she said to me: "You need to blog about that!!!". It made me realize that there are so many wonderful moments that I experience and that I fail to share with all of you. It's not that I take them for granted, don't get me wrong. Nothing is missed on me. I need to remember though, that it's these types of stories that are inspirations for brides and planners alike; they are the reason we focus so much time, energy, money, anticipation and emotion on the wedding day.

The story is of a bride and groom who met in college. The groom is in the military and has spent the past year in Afghanistan, making it difficult for them to see one another on any regular basis - much less plan the wedding together. Finally, the big day arrived. They were to be married in a church by the bride's childhood pastor, and have a big bash at a converted warehouse later on.

From the outside, everything looked to me to be "normal" - meaning that all of the vendors were lined up, the timeline was set, the key players were in place, the ceremony was ready to start.

Once I got everyone down the aisle, I felt the same exhileration and relief that I normally feel. My former boss in NYC once said to me, "Once the ceremony starts, pop the Champagne. You've done it." And that is really how it feels to get the ceremony going...a big "WHEW" overcomes you.

When the ceremony is over and the family and wedding party recess, I am on the end of the aisle greeting them with the requisite "Congratulations!" and ushering them into the room or hallway where they wait until the guests leave and they can return to the sanctuary for photos. Today was like any other day where I would greet and usher. First to recess were the bride and groom. "Congratulations!", I exclaimed. Normally, the bride and groom are beaming with smiles and casually say thank you and brush by me, full of excitement.

Today was different. When I first saw the bride and groom once they recessed down the aisle, I gave them my familiar greeting. But I noticed that something was different about this couple. They were more in the moment than I've ever seen two people. They were fully aware of what they had just done, and their joy and overwhelming sense of gratefulness to be bound together was palpable. The bride looked at the groom, and she burst into tears. Beautiful, love-filled, elated tears. The groom, usually the strong, masculine force trying not to show too much emotion, returned her look with tears of his own. They had no awareness of what was around them, where they were going, or what was to happen next. They only saw one another in that moment.

To say the very least, I was incredibly moved by this moment. I choked up and stepped back, trying my best to give them space and to allow this special moment together. They made their way into the church's library and they hugged and cried. "We did it", they said quietly to one another. "We did it." And then came some laughter.

This moment said more and meant more than any flower arrangement, any band, any piece of filet, slice of cake, or wedding favor. It meant everything. This moment was why they were getting married, and how they would remember it. It is how I will remember their wedding, to be sure.

Why are you getting married? How will you remember your big day? My advice to you is to keep this sweet couple in your heart and your mind and to really be aware of the giant leap you are taking into a marriage with your partner and your best friend. You are, after all, getting married...not wedding-ed. Try and remember that.

XOXO
grace

Keep Calm And Carry On

2010-06-23T18:36:00.003-04:00

There's a very special and specific kind of anxiety that can arrive on a wedding day. And the anticipation and excitement that a bride feels is unique to what anyone else will be feeling at that same moment. Having been a bride myself, I can tell you that it's very difficult to even try and describe how it feels to wake up and know that you are getting married that day. There is the feeling of joy that the day has arrived, the overwhelming sensation that you'll be walking down an aisle with all eyes on you, and the palpable feeling of elation that you finally get to call this person your partner for life.

As a bride, I never felt terror. The worst thing I felt was exhaustion, because I had too many nights of parties leading up to my big day and not enough sleep. (Read: get a few really good nights of sleep before your wedding because you'll be up most of the night the night before with butterflies in your tummy!). As a wedding planner however, I see many, many brides feel and experience something close to fear when they are about to leave for the church or temple or take that first step down the aisle in the garden or under the tent.

How can we alleviate this, I've thought to myself? It's very difficult in that moment to take away the feeling of being scared. What I've learned is that it is the behavior leading up to the wedding day that paves the way for how a bride will feel in that moment. What I mean by this is that if you take care of yourself in the weeks leading up to your wedding and practice certain behaviors, you will be more likely to wake up on your wedding day feeling refreshed, ready and BRAVE. And believe me, you need a certain amount of "chutzpa" to face the day!

Follow these simple steps in the weeks leading up to your special day and I can guarantee that a great deal of your anxiety, fear and stress will disappear. You have nothing to be afraid of. No one is judging you. You will undoubtedly be the most beautiful woman in the room (even if, God forbid, you get wine on your dress), because you will be glowing. You'll feel peaceful, refreshed, excited and most of all, calm.

*Drink plenty of water. Sounds trite, but it works for your skin, your body, and your overall well being.
*As I said above, sleep, sleep, sleep! It's the best gift you can give yourself.
*Pass off ALL wedding plans and details to someone else on the Wednesday before your wedding (or three days before). You have worked hard on your planning for months; you deserve three days of relaxation. Believe me, if you've planned well, those three days won't make a difference in the world.
*Have a night out (or in) with girlfriends in the week before your wedding, with no more than three cocktails involved. You don't want to be hungover, you just want to have an opportunity to release some tension, complain about your mother in law, and above all else, LAUGH.
*Make a list and check it twice. Put all of your important ceremony and reception items in one place and put someone else in charge of them! Someone you trust implicitly.
*Journal daily. It's incredible the amount of stress this simple act can relieve.
*Exercise regularly. See above.
*If all else fails, have a good cry.

XOXO
grace

Food, Glorious Food!

2010-06-03T17:36:00.011-04:00

I want to share some beautiful photos with you from the April rehearsal dinner that I posted about earlier. Food is such an important and significant piece of an event and it's wonderful to see some examples of when there is a lot of thought and expertise put into it.

These gorgeous photos were taken by Cindy of Cuppa Photography. She does amazing things with light, as you can see. The fabulous Columbian-style menu is courtesy of The Catering Company of Chapel Hill. Those of you who are familiar with them know that they do extraordinary work, and this is a prime example of them taking a theme and running with it and making it extra beautiful and detailed.

When you're planning your event, really take time to think about the menu and everything that goes into it: the passed hors d'oeuvres, the appetizer, the entree, the stations, the buffet...whatever style of menu. Regardless of the type of meal, you want to choose a variety of colors and flavors, as well as items that are in season. And as I am talking about so frequently these days, do your best to choose locally grown items; this helps make your menu friendly on the planet, your wallet, and while literally adding a bit of local color, can also help to make the food that much fresher and more vibrant and palatable.

Enjoy!
XOXO
grace

Check out our guest blog!

2010-05-24T11:02:00.002-04:00

Josie from Preownedweddingdress.com was nice enough to ask us to be a guest blogger on her site. Here's the link! Enjoy.
XOXO
grace

http://www.preownedweddingdresses.com/blog/the-look-for-less-choosing-local

Rehearsal Dinner, Colombian Style

2010-04-28T15:44:00.001-04:00

On a pristine April Friday night in North Carolina, we had the pleasure of putting on a fabulous rehearsal dinner for a wonderful couple, Rachel and David. Since David comes from Colombia, the couple thought that the perfect way to honor his heritage during the wedding weekend would be to have a Colombian-infused affair the night before they got hitched.

Thanks to The Catering Company of Chapel Hill, Tre Bella Florist, Party Tables Linens, DJ Brian Clonaris, and Classic Party Rentals, we were able to put together a beautiful and fun party on the bride's family's absolutely gorgeous farm.

I hope these photos will serve as inspiration to you to carry a theme throughout your event with the music, food, and overall feel, and to not be afraid of color to create atmosphere; you can see here how it really set the tone for an unforgettable evening. The guests danced the night away...long after the sangria and arepas were gone.

Enjoy!

XOXO
grace

New York Times, Baby!

2010-04-21T09:08:00.008-04:00

I'm VERY proud and excited for my darling husband, who is featured in today's New York Times Dining Out section. I had to share! Hope you enjoy it...and hope that many of you can make it out to Six Plates soon.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/21/dining/21carolina.html

XOXO
grace

Love this idea!

2010-04-12T08:37:00.003-04:00

I don't know about you, but we are always looking to find fun, delicious and innovative ways of doing dessert at weddings and events. I just fell in love with this crepe cake from Charleston Crepe Company. It's absolutely beautiful with its thin layer of powdered sugar. Even better, it is off the beaten path from your standard wedding cake and it's always nice to have an alternative for the gal who plays to her own drummer (or who happens to love crepes).

From today's Daily Candy weddings:

charleston crepe company!">

Cut Through the Layers
In lieu of a traditional cake, opt for Charleston Crepe Company’s brand new tiered wedding treats, available with chocolate or vanilla cream between layers of crepe.

www.dailycandy.com

From Ivy's Blog To You!

2010-04-06T15:27:00.004-04:00

This is a post from my good friend Ivy Robinson's Blog, where she reminisces through pictures about the crazy and fun time we had working on the CW Network's wedding reality show, "Hitched or Ditched" in 2009. Enjoy and thanks, Ivy!

Flashback: CW Network Filming

"Last year at this time we were full force with what I will call “Operation Hitched or Ditched” with the CW network at Ballantyne Resort. My partner in crime for these episodes was my dear friend Grace Beason with Grace Leisure Events. The pictures are some behind the scenes shots that we took during our oh so dramatic fun filled month of filming." - Ivy www.ivyrobinson.com

A Well Deserved Wedding

2010-03-11T15:16:00.003-05:00

Here is a link to the NC 17 news coverage of a wedding I had the honor to plan and coordinate (along with a group of fantastic Triangle wedding vendors) for a very, very deserving couple, Christine Linn and Bob McArthur. Read more and watch below...I know you'll be as moved as I was by the family, most of all the bride. After all, everyone is deserving of love and of a fairytale wedding - and this set of circumstances makes this wedding even more memorable.

XOXO

grace

http://wake.mync.com/site/Wake/news/story/49148/garner-couple-ties-the-knot/

Thank you to the NACE family and all of the wonderful vendors who participated!

Jenny & Zach: Figure Eight Island, North Carolina

2010-02-13T17:55:00.003-05:00

Here is a sneak peek at some of the images from a November wedding we did on Figure Eight Island in Wilmington, taken by the very lovely and talented Lisa Brown of Bella Rose Photography. Thanks, Lisa! And thank you also to the Figure Eight Island Yacht Club, cakes by Flower & Flour, the fabulous florist Sam Haddock, Elizabeth Porcher Jones calligraphy and as always, my wonderful assistants, Alex and Katherine. Enjoy!

XOXO

grace

Flashback: Livi & Jeremy

2010-02-01T12:02:00.005-05:00

All of this cold weather is making me nostalgic for the summertime! I want to share with you some photos from Livi and Jeremy's gorgeous wedding that was last August at the Carolina Inn. The stunning photos were taken by Tamara Lackey of Tamara Lackey Photography. Livi and Jeremy were a wonderful couple - so in love - and their families were super sweet, too. We loved working with them. It was a perfectly "Carolina" wedding!

You know how I feel about attention to detail, so here are some fabulous detail shots by Tamara:

The bride's Manolos. Lucky girl!
An array of family photos set in the Gallery outside of the Old Well Room.
Bridesmaid bouquets dual-purposed...
Summertime lemonade punch!
Gorgeous bride and gown, spectacular bouquet.
The happy couple!
I love this photo of the cake - it has a vintage feel to it, don't you think?
The ever beautiful and timeless Old Well Room.
Cocktails on the front lawn - perfect!
Livi, one of the most stylish and lovely brides I've had the pleasure to work with.

Snow Day, Schmoe Day

2010-01-29T21:40:00.004-05:00

I got sucked into watching "Platinum Weddings" tonight and it made me think about and realize just how BEAUTIFUL and fabulous the weddings are that I am lucky enough to work on. They are "Platinum Weddings" in their own right! They need their own TV show! My brides and grooms and moms and dads are so, so worthy of that kind of recognition. The thing is, there are beautiful weddings to look at everywhere we turn. On TV, the magazines, Blogs, websites... Of course there is the very famous and amazing Blog, Style Me Pretty, from which to draw inspiration - www.stylemepretty.com. If you can't get some inspiration from there, where can you get it?

The point is: God is in the details, people! It's really true. You can't pay close enough attention to the little things. Whether it's the escort cards made out of paint chips (an amazing idea from a current bride of mine who is sassy and classy and so, so creative) to desserts served from a gorgeous old armoire, to a love poem written in the sky by an airplane...the details are what make your wedding your own.

Tonight it's snowing buckets in Durham and all I can think of is, will someones wedding day tomorrow be dampened by the bad weather? Ugh. Don't let the bad weather get you down! You will still have an amazing day that is YOUR day and if it snows, it was meant for your day to be a snowy one. It will turn out that the details from your day will be a photo of you and your sweetie kicking up the snow with your heels...or a beautiful shot of a snowflake landing on your perfectly powdered nose...or a carriage ride as a new MRS. through the snowy streets of Chapel Hill...or seeing your guests all bundled in their Sunday best under furs (fake furs, I'm sure...eh hem). Whatever it is, the details will be yours and yours alone. Take a deep breath, enjoy the snow, and get married! That's what it's about after all, now isn't it?

XOXO,

grace

P.S. Photo by Moi

New Resolutions

2010-01-17T13:48:00.003-05:00

Well, here we are 17 days into the new year and I'm writing my first post of 2010. Happy New Year! The days have been getting away from me as I try desperately to motivate to make the most of my time and exercise, dig my heels into my work, home, friends, family, while finding it really hard to get anything done in this grey, dreary weather. I imagine I'm not the only one who feels this way in January, but sometimes it feels like it.

I'm going to do my best this year to be more present on this blog and in my life in general. I always say, "Be Where You Are", and I need to take my own advice. It's so easy in January to get distracted, be tired, lack energy, and drift from your tasks at hand while forgetting to focus on the moment, the present, the here and now! Maybe we can try and BE more present together.

Let's start with a few ways to enjoy your wedding planning and your life in general during the most "blah" of the winter months when it's difficult to find the motivation to do much of anything. Here goes!

Make time each day (even 20 or 30 minutes) to walk or exercise. Your mood will be better, your spirits higher, and your wedding dress will fit that much better at your fitting. No one wants to cram their weight loss and exercise into the 3 weeks prior to the wedding. Start early, be consistent, and you will see results in all areas of your body and mind.
Try your best to sleep 8 or more hours per night. Again, your mood will be better, your skin will be clearer, you have a better chance of losing or keeping weight off (if that's one of your new year's or wedding goals), and nothing in the world beats feeling rested. You'll be better able to face your wedding planning and your day with pluck and not pessimism!
Watch American Idol, especially during these first few weeks of auditions. You will LAUGH (I promise!) and you know what they say about laughter being the best medicine. This is free entertainment that will go along way. It sure does with me...I find myself laughing out loud long after the show has ended.
Call your friends. Some of them may be far away, but what better reason to pick up the phone and say hi, tell them you miss them, and get some good support from those you love. Most of my nearest and dearest are in states far, far away and I find that one of the best pick me ups there is is to hear their voices and remember that no time or distance can break us apart. The months during which you plan your wedding is a perfect time to catch up with old friends. They really do want to hear how you are but are also there to give you a respite from your own "stuff", if you need it.
Get a pedicure. Need I say more?
Discover tea. There are so many delicious and wonderful varietals and there is nothing quite as soothing as a hot cup of tea in the morning, afternoon, or evening before bed. It's the little things that bring joy and peace and drinking tea is one of my favorite little ways to calm down, collect my thoughts, or find a moment of quiet in a hectic day.
Carolina Brides: Consider attending the various bridal shows that are coming up (start with the Carolina Inn show on January 31st). Bridal shows are a fabulous way to meet vendors, get ideas, and just enjoy the many splendors of the wedding world. Each time I attend a bridal show I am reminded of just why I chose this fantastic industry in the first place. There is no better way to get excited about your upcoming wedding than attending one of these events.
Go through your To Do list (I know you have one!) and resolve to get at least one major task done each week, maybe two. I don't know about you, but I absolutely love checking things off the list; it feels sooooo good. And believe me, it will make the couple months and weeks prior to your big day much more enjoyable if you aren't racing to the finish line..

XOXO

grace

P.S. Beautiful photo of the Carolina Theater by Kevin Milz Photography.

Happy New Year!

2009-12-30T09:01:00.003-05:00

We at Grace Leisure Events want to take a moment to thank all of our clients and friends for making 2009 such a wonderful, full, interesting, challenging, and fun year for our company. We are so grateful to have worked with so many fantastic brides and families and hope to stay in touch with you all for a long time to come.

For those of you with whom we are working right now, we are really looking forward to your weddings and events in 2010. It is sure to be an unforgettable year, full of surprises and many happy occasions.

We thank you again for choosing to work with Grace Leisure Events. We appreciate you so much and look forward to many more memorable times together. Wishing you and yours all the best for 2010!

XOXO

grace

Snow Day Planning Projects

2009-12-20T18:53:00.007-05:00

There comes a time during every bride's wedding planning when she comes to a screeching halt and has nothing to do. You know what I mean: your vendors are booked, your venue is secured, your save the dates are in the mail, you have months before you need to mail your invitations, and you've already chosen your gown and selected your colors, flowers and bridesmaid dresses. What to do now?

My best advice is to make the most of this so-called "down time", and get some things done that you may not feel like doing, but that you'll be glad to have crossed off the To Do list once the final two months roll around and you feel as if the infamous list is absolutely endless. Let me give you some ideas for how you Summer (and even Spring and Fall) brides can make good use of all of these snow days and free time on your hands (never mind the presents you have to wrap and parties you need to attend...there's always time for those things!).

*Get a leg up on your ceremony programs. Select your readings, readers, and start mapping out the actual ceremony program. Set a meeting with your officiant. Get your "order of service" hammered out and start typing it up. Begin looking at different styles of ceremony programs and thinking about what kind you want to have. You may not need to print these until about a month before once everything is finalized, but this is the perfect time to get to work on a project that can be very time consuming. You'd be surprised how difficult it is to get the entire wedding party spelled correctly - not to mention the pieces of music!

*Choose your menu. Read magazines, look online, visit your caterer's website (and those of other caterers and venues as well) to glean ideas and inspiration. Even better, go out for dinner and get some great advice from your friend the foodie as to how to put together a tasty, seasonal, lovely menu that is appropriate for your budget and your affair. The last thing you want to be doing one month before your wedding is trying to decide whether to have asparagus or haricots vert, sea bass or salmon...you catch my drift.

*Along the same lines, get working on selecting your wine choices. If you don't know much about wine, there are plenty of people out there to help you. Visit your local boutique wine shop or wine bar and get talking to the gregarious and knowledgeable men and women behind the counter. After all, they've spent most of their adult lives studying and drinking wine and most importantly, pairing it with food. Use their expertise to your advantage!

*If you're having a seated dinner, get your guest list in order for your calligrapher. That means having a clean, easy to read spreadsheet of names for your escort cards as well as your place cards, if you are having those as well.

-For escort cards, you will need to have each couple's full name.

For example: Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Scott Beason.

-For place cards, you need to have each person's full name.

For example: Grace L.P. Beason (no pronoun necessary).

-If you are using a calligrapher, they may be able to give you a template from which to work.

-If you are using an online service such as placecards.com they will explain to you what they need from you.

-If you happen to be writing them yourself, you will need a clear and easy to read spreadsheet to work from.

-Make this list alphabetical. This will come very much in handy on the wedding day when people are trying to find their seats. Despite your hard work on creating your escort cards, some people inevitably need some direction and your "alpha" list will help your planner or catering director lead them to their table in a very quick and efficient way. This is a tedious and arduous process and you will be very glad if you have it finished long before the calligrapher (or whomever is writing the cards) needs it. It's never too early to start - once your RSVPs start rolling in, that is...

*You've heard this one before, but buy your wedding day shoes and wear them, wear them, wear them! I'm not talking about walking to work in them, but I am suggesting that you come home each day and wear them around while you are putting away your laundry, checking your email, or writing thank you notes (not while you are cooking dinner). The more you wear them (while keeping them clean), the more your feet will thank you on your wedding day. I don't care if you have the best made pair of Louboutins - they still hurt after 8 hours when they've never before met your feet. Trust me on this one!

These should keep you busy for at least a day or two! I'll come up with some more in the weeks to come. Not to worry, you won't feel any let down from the holidays with how busy you can keep yourself with your wedding planning. You'll be such an efficient bride, making such good use of your time. Martha - and her infamous To Do list - would be proud!

XOXO

grace

Jessica and Shahid: Tradition With A Twist

2009-12-10T10:07:00.011-05:00

Soooo sorry for my long absence. It seems I fell prey to the swine flu, or something similar, and have been in bed for nearly a week! Before that I was lucky enough to spend a few days in NYC to babysit my scrumptious niece. There's nothing like New York this time of year. It's just so darn festive and can't help but put you in the holiday spirit - swine flu or not!

I want to share a few more photos from the wedding we did in October at the Nasher Museum of Contemporary Art here in Durham. The wedding was a melting of two cultures: Indian and Chinese. Elements from each culture were infused in each part of the ceremony and reception with clothing, readings, music, colors, menu, ceremonies, and more. Rarely do I have the opportunity to be a part of a wedding where I learn so much about new cultures and traditions and I loved every minute of it. My eyes were wide open during the 10 month planning process and most especially during the wedding weekend itself. It was inspiring, educational, touching, and drop-dead gorgeous (if I do say so myself). Here's some more eye candy to feast on. I absolutely adore this couple and hope you will love looking over these photos, but also get some inspiration from their colorful, joyful, family-oriented and tradition-filled affair. Enjoy!

*All photos are by the lovely and talented Mr. Kevin Milz of Kevin Milz Photography.

Shelley & Andy's Autumn Affair

2009-11-18T17:59:00.007-05:00

Halloween didn't stop Shelley and Andy from knowing that October 31st was their day to tie the knot! Pushing pumpkins aside, they opted instead for an elegant Autumnal Affair complete with lavish centerpieces in greens, oranges, and golds, stunning chandeliers, a decadent cake, and music from their own personal library including everything from Neil Young's "Harvest Moon" to popular hip hop that got the entire crowd on the dance floor.

Here are some beautiful images taken by David Watson of Get Lit Lighting to give you a good idea for how to do Halloween in a classy, non-themey way.

Shelley and Andy selected a long head table with the wedding party seated on both sides - 16 in total. It gave great balance to the room as well as variety, as all of the other tables were 60" rounds to seat 8 or 9 guests.The chandeliers that were hung in American Tobacco's Bay 7 space especially for Shelley and Andy added a romantic feel and along with the specially installed up-lighting, created a warm and romantic mood. The Catering Company's fabulous decor team provided the chandeliers and additional draping.
The lovely cake from Sweet Memories Bakery tasted just as good as it looked. I was lucky enough to get a piece after a long day of running around! Donna Ford's sugary goodness gave me that last push I needed to stay full of energy throughout the evening.
The cloths look pale gold in these images, but were actually a beautiful pale green with circular details and the napkins and accents were a deep rust, as you can see here. The amazing floral centerpieces were done by Ninth Street Flowers.
Here's another shot of the tables and the room. The luxurious linens and beautiful chairs (as well as all of the other rentals) came from the fabulous CE Rental in Raleigh. DJ Brian Clonaris of EE Productions did a fantastic job keeping people partying, and The Catering Company of Chapel Hill was as always on their game and produced a flawless served dinner for nearly 200 guests.

Congratulations Shelley and Andy! Thank you for choosing to share your lovely North Carolina Autumn Affair with Grace Leisure Events.

XOXO

grace

Best Wedding!

2009-11-17T17:30:00.002-05:00

We are so proud and happy to announce that at last week's NACE Golden Whisk Awards Gala, Grace Leisure Events won the award for Best Wedding of 2009! We are so happy and excited and grateful to our peers for choosing us for this honor. Thank you!

Here is a link to images from the event, which unfortunately we had to miss due to a MUCH needed weekend in South Beach with our hubby...

http://www.trianglenace.com/gallery.php?offset=0&date=111209&dispdate=November+12,+2009

And here is a link to the fabulous wedding for which we won best wedding! Images are by Rachel Garrison of Tamara Lackey Photography. Enjoy!

http://www.tamaralackey.com/KristenBlake/

XOXO

grace

Night At The Museum

2009-11-04T14:14:00.004-05:00

These are photos from an October 3rd wedding we did in Durham at the Nasher Museum of Contemporary Art for a fabulous couple named Jessica and Shahid. They combined Chinese and Indian cultures and families to create a wedding that was colorful, classy, and downright FUN.
Take note of the Cerise Satin linens from CE Rentals in Raleigh....SOOOO luxe!
Fresh Affairs created bold and unusual centerpieces of gold painted Monestera leaves in tall vases. The look was minimal but oh so chic and stunning against the bright pink of the table tops. Places were set with gold napkins, bright green chopsticks and custom menu cards, and the gold chairs had coordinating gold seat cushion covers.
David Watson of Get Lit Lighting did beautiful uplighting around the room as well as Chinese lanterns in the center of the space over the dance floor. He topped is all off with a Gobo light on the dance floor of the Chinese symbol for "Double Happiness". Thanks to David for all of these photos, as well.
I will post more photos later so you can see the beautiful bridesmaids in their absolutely breathtaking jewel-toned Saris! Congratulations to Jessica and Shahid on a beautiful day and what I know will be a lifelong happy marriage.

XOXO

grace

My Team

2009-11-04T11:27:00.003-05:00

I just received this beautiful photo from the fabulous Rachel Garrison of Tamara Lackey Photographers, taken on September 26th at the wedding of Caitlin and Kevin King at the Washington Duke Inn (images to follow!).

This photo is of me and my two wonderful assistants, Alex and Katherine. I could not do it without them! They help keep me sane and are incredibly helpful with coordinating the "day of" details such as making sure that the transportation runs on time, that the escort cards are organized perfectly, and that the bridesmaids are well taken care of. They help do a lot of the behind the scenes things that I simply can't do sometimes because I am off doing other things...or really, managing all of the myriad details that go into creating a wedding weekend.

My Alex and Katherine are a reminder that it takes many to accomplish any wedding. No florist, photographer, band leader, catering director, lighting/decor designer or cake baker works alone. You know how they say that behind every good man is a good woman? Well, behind every wedding professional is a team. I can tell you that first hand. I am ever so grateful for their consistent, diligent, detailed and hard work and want you to know that it does indeed take a village to make these things go off without a hitch. I'm so lucky to have such a fabulous team and so of course, I think my clients are lucky to have them, too!

We're off for another big wedding weekend, this time on the gorgeous Figure Eight Island. We'll post some photos of this fall's weddings just as soon as we get copies. They have been many and diverse and I am really proud of all of our hard work. Thanks for checking in to see what we've been up to!

XOXO

grace

A Tradition Is What You Make It

2009-10-23T13:43:00.002-04:00

I hope you all are enjoying October and the fall thus far! This month always makes me incredibly, painfully nostalgic for college at Kenyon; the very, very special spot in central Ohio where I spent four years, met my husband, sang my heart out (oh yes, a capella group style...) and learned how to throw parties with the best of them. Seriously, some of the best soirees I've ever been to were during those four years at Kenyon College.

People were so creative, it was ridiculous! Must have been something in the corn-filled air or in the food at the dining hall or in the beer in the keg...I don't know. But I do know that some of the most outrageous ideas I've ever seen came straight from The Hill, as we fondly call it. For example: The "Shock Your Mama" party - where you might just see someone dressed in Saran Wrap. Or the "Redhead Party" - where everyone arrived with red hair - real and fake - and feasted on red food and Killian's Red. Or, my personal favorite, the "Luge Party" - where we built a luge from a 500 pound block of ice IN our bathroom and served a delectable array of juices and potions that you would drink in tandem from one of the two handmade trails down the ice. Sounds like fun, right? I'd be up for one of these parties tonight - if only they didn't start about 3 hours past my current bed time. :)

There are so many ways that you can take inspiration from college or another special part of your life and incorporate it into your wedding or special event. For instance, we had an event at Kenyon called "Freshman Sing" where all of the Freshmen would stand on a set of stairs outside and sing all of the dozens of school songs while the rest of the school would cheer (or jeer) us on. We would then do this again as Seniors - an emotional and nostalgic nod to our time as naive first year students.

Why not have a sing along at your event? This does not only need to be reserved for holiday parties. One of *the best* wedding ideas I heard lately was from a producer in LA who I worked with last winter who told me that she handed out sheet music to her guests and had everyone since a rousing rendition together of "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life". How cute is that? Now that's a wedding moment people will not forget any time soon.

Traditions come in many shapes and sizes. At Kenyon, it seemed there was a tradition for just about everything. My family was always full of traditions so this felt natural to me, but at the same time definitely pushed me to maintain and create traditions in my own life and family - things that can be carried on for years to come. You may create a tradition at your wedding or event that you decide to do every year on that day. A tradition is what you make it. If it means something to you and is relevant to a special moment in time, there's no reason why you can't carry it on, give it a name, and make sure that it lasts a lifetime. Now off to buy a block of ice...

XOXO

grace

September Bliss

2009-10-13T13:31:00.007-04:00

Hi All!

I apologize for my delay in posting photos from this fall's weddings. I've been very busy planning and coordinating and not taking time out for this little blog of mine. Alas, here are some gorgeous photos taken by David Watson of Get Lit Lighting of the lovely and elegant wedding of Kristen & Blake that took place on September 19th.

The wedding ceremony was at St. Mary's Chapel in Raleigh and the reception (see photos) at Prestonwood Country Club in Cary. A beautiful wedding for a wonderful couple who could not have been sweeter or more gracious - I miss them already! Enjoy and hopefully I'll have more to come soon of the bride in her stunning gown and of more of the day and details.

Special thanks for a fabulous wedding to Sondra Johnstone at Prestonwood, JW Walton and The Catering Company decor team, David Watson for lighting, Party Tables, CE Rental and Classic Party Rentals for linens and rentals, Fresh Affairs for spectacular flowers, and my helpers Katherine and Alex for their amazing work.

XOXO

grace

Cheeky Chic

2009-09-24T16:10:00.004-04:00

Check out the new Blog by one of my favorite gals, Lindsey "Fifi" Cheek, for all things fashion, weddings, home furnishings, and just generally gorgeous things to covet. She has exquisite taste and an an incredible penchant for finding treasures worth absolutely drooling over.

www.fificheek.blogspot.com

Be Where You Are

2009-09-10T13:50:00.003-04:00

Fall wedding season is upon us and that means that many of you have your weddings coming up soon! And that means that you could probably use a little pep talk - am I right?

I've been planning weddings over a decade now and while that pales in comparison to the careers of some of my mentors and other who inspire me, it is long enough to have a lot of real life experience in the trenches under my bedazzled belt. Well, all of this experience would be for nought if I didn't have YOU to share it with!

I hope that these little gems that I provide here and there can help you to relax a bit more, enjoy a lot more, and most importantly, to be in the moment. One of my favorite sayings is "Be where you are". It's so simple, yet something that we all forget to remember and struggle to achieve. If you can be where you are, at your wedding, you will undoubtedly have a time to remember. In order to do this, you have to remember one of the other great phrases of all time: "Don't Sweat The Small Stuff". And even more important to remember, it's all small stuff.

So, here goes - my fall "play list" for how to get the most out of your wedding day:

Wear your shoes around the house every evening for at least a week before your wedding day...you'll thank me, and so will your feet.
If you don't have a planner, make sure you double and triple check your transportation plans. These are so often the plans that get lost in the mix and most often are the plans that go wrong. Assign a friend or family member to be in charge of the transportation on your wedding day. Have them get the names and cell phone number for the drivers. (For what it's worth, transportation details alone are a fabulous reason to hire a "day of" coordinator!).
Remember that if you absolutely hate calla lilies and one accidentally makes it into your bridal bouquet, that it's not the end of the world, your bouquet is still gorgeous, and your mascara will run if you start to cry.
Do your best to drink a glass of water in between cocktails at the rehearsal dinner. The stress and emotion of your wedding day is enough to handle sober and with a good night's sleep - a hangover can help to turn mole hills into mountains.
Be sure you get ALL of the power requirements for the band, DJ, generator, and anything else that requires power at your venue, ahead of time. An impromptu power outage can really put a damper on things.
Outdoor ceremonies and receptions: Rain plan, rain plan, rain plan.
Weight gain: Spanx, Spanx, Spanx.
After your father (or other family member) makes the welcome toast, do not let him/her release the microphone for open toasting. It's inappropriate to do this at the start of the night (or at the wedding in general - that's what the rehearsal dinner is for), and can really hold up the service of the meal - not matter whether a sit down, buffet, or stations. Nobody wants a flustered catering staff and starving guests eating cold petite filet.
Have someone bring your overnight bags to the hotel early in the day. You don't want to wind up at the hotel with nothing to wear the next day except a day-old tuxedo and wedding dress!
Making a Do Not Play list for the band or DJ is just as important as a Must Play list.
Remind family members ahead of time if they are to remain at the ceremony spot for photos after the ceremony. This saves a lot of time and running around trying to gather people for formal photos, which in turn means more time for you to enjoy the cocktail hour!
For the love of you-know-who, do not smash cake in your darling's face. This is your wedding, not a scene from Meatballs.
When all else fails, and if everything does fail, SMILE. You know what I always say: the only thing that people will remember is a stressed out bride.

XOXO,

grace

P.S. Thanks to Shane Snider for the gorgeous photo of Whitney and Ben.

Recipe For Success

2009-08-28T09:28:00.003-04:00

Building a beautiful and successful event is like following a recipe of your own creation. You have to take it step by step, add just the right ingredients, and you'll come up with the most delicious dish you've ever tasted. The fun part is that the ingredients are largely up to you. While you do have to focus on things that are "mandatory" like selecting vendors, a venue, perhaps booking transportation, hotel blocks, and doing other mundane wedding tasks, the icing that is the design, decor, look, feel, and flow of the event, are all in your hands.

The recipe is made up of gorgeous linens...
Some kind of beautiful chairs with coordinating seat cushion covers and and maybe even a decorative and lovely charger plate...
A napkin to match and flatware and glassware that suits your style perfectly...
Unexpected touches like a patterned gold cloth on the bistro tables near the dance floor where revelers will rest their drinks...
And a color palette that suits your space and complements your individual style. Your wedding is your opportunity to highlight the design elements that you are drawn to. And while it's not a time to showcase everything you ever liked together in one room, if you take the time and care to extract certain elements of style that appeal to you greatly and above all, work in concert with each other, you will have created a recipe for an unforgettable affair.

XOXO

grace

P.S. Thanks to CE Rental and Classic Party Rentals, both of Raleigh, NC, for the fabulous linens, chargers, chairs, and other rental items.

You Can Count On Me

2009-08-12T14:32:00.004-04:00

Besides being a fantastic movie, I also think that "You Can Count On Me" is one of the greatest movie titles ever. And while Mark Ruffalo and Laura Linney play a brother and sister who look after each other, the phrase always makes me think of my girlfriends. Where would we be without our friends?

Being a bridesmaid in a close friend's wedding is one of the ultimate experiences one can have. Certainly a lot of us have experiences of being bridesmaids for family or one of 14 for a high school friend or get roped into handing out programs for a family friend we barely know, but there is nothing like being asked to be in the wedding party of someone whom you dearly love.

This photo arrived this week on a CD from Scott Robert Photography of Los Angeles, who shot the wedding of Milyeri and Neil that took place in Durham this March 7th. I find this photo so sweet because you can see how excited she is, how enthusiastic her friends are, and above all, how they are helping her on her big day.

Let's not make light of it: being a bride is stressful. Being a bridesmaid shouldn't be. We've all seen the parody on YouTube of the bride cutting her hair off in a moment of hysteria. Sure, it was a farce, but don't think I haven't witnessed something very similar to that episode in person only moments before a bride went down the aisle. There is a lot of pressure around being a bride and that is why brides (for the most part) choose their wedding parties carefully, and surround themselves with people on whom they can rely.

I'll never forget being asked to be a bridesmaid for the first time by my good college friend named Suzy. I was so excited and honored and couldn't wait to share my great news and good fortune with a couple of co-workers at The Knot. The two women I chose to tell were 30 somethings, who I imagined would understand my elation and be willing to do a dance of joy with me around the office to celebrate my wonderful news. Instead, they offered up terse quips about how they'd "been a bridesmaid 10 times and it's a pain in the ass" and how I'd "get over" my excitement soon enough and how it's "expensive", "time consuming" and "a drag". Weren't these people wedding professionals? I was heartbroken.

That said, I carried on my merry way and maintained my elation at my big duty all through the gorgeous wedding day at the Charleston Yacht Club. Suzy made me a bridesmaid for the first time and I'll never forget it. She is about to celebrate her 10th anniversary, and I can still remember how I felt at 23 in that dress and with those flowers. I felt special.

Being asked to be a bridesmaid is an honor. It's not something to whine about or complain about or gossip about with other friends who haven't been asked because believe me when I say, they often wish they had been. Being an attendant to your friend on the most important day of her life is a privilege and a joy, and I really hope you can enjoy it each time as much as I did the first time I walked down that aisle ahead of my friend. As a veteran of 11 bridesmaid experiences, I can tell you that each was unique, wonderful, and beyond memorable. But I wish I'd spent half as much time complaining about the cost of the dress or how my butt looked in it, and instead focused entirely on the good luck I had to have some of the most generous, supportive, loving, gorgeous, wonderful friends on the planet - and who without a doubt had weddings to match. I love them all to the moon and back and would walk down that aisle again for them in a heartbeat, too tight $350 dress and all. Wouldn't you?

XOXO

Livi & Jeremy 8.8.09

2009-08-12T14:12:00.004-04:00

We were fortunate to be a part of Livi and Jeremy's gorgeous Carolina wedding last Saturday at the Carolina Inn in Chapel Hill. Livi and I met nearly four years ago in our Junior League Provisional Class in Durham. (I was a fair weather Junior Leaguer and didn't make it past a year or so...don't know if Livi had more success with it!). Jeremy was a golfer at Carolina undergrad. Together they make a beautiful, fun, and unforgettable couple.

We'll have some photos to post soon but in the meantime check out this link to the trailer for their wedding video, as shot by KA Studios of Charlotte. Keith and Aimee are amazing wedding videographers and an absolute pleasure to work with. Thanks also to Tamara and Courtney of Tamara Lackey Photography, the Jamie McLean Band, the Purple Puddle, Corda Entertainment, Capital Style Limousine, and of course, Julie McCay and all of the fabulous staff at the Carolina Inn.

http://www.kastudiosblog.com/a-tarheel-wedding-livi-and-jeremy/

So Yesterday

2009-07-30T16:07:00.003-04:00

Check out my hero and mentor Marcy Blum's fabulous and hilarious new blog posting about wedding trends that are uncool, not classy, and just so yesterday. I'll say it again: I learned from the best!

XOXO

http://adventuresofwedhead.com

Loving Laura James

2009-07-20T08:48:00.004-04:00

I have a new jewelry obsession, and it's all things Laura James. Laura James is a fabulous jewelry designer based in Charlotte, NC and happens to be the cousin of a good friend of mine. She creates absolutely perfect pieces for spicing up a LBD (see over sized Vintage Cocktail Rings, also seen on Gossip Girl!) or for giving to your bridesmaids as a gift for being a part of your special day.

Check out the Stamped Initial Necklace in the Personalized section of her site. These necklaces are lovely, simple, personal, and the right price. I am currently lobbying for a double stamped necklace for my 4th wedding anniversary on August 6th. Matthew, are you reading this?

www.laurajamesjewelry.com

XOXO,

grace

Style Me Pretty

2009-07-16T09:18:00.004-04:00

You've probably already discovered the fabulous blog, Style Me Pretty, but just in case you are new to it, take a look: www.stylemepretty.com

Abby Larson has created one of the most coveted and complete go-to spots online for brides that is stylish, sophisticated, fresh, fun and always beautiful - all things we LOVE! We are fortunate and grateful to be a part of SMP's "Little Black Book" of preferred wedding vendors. Check out our listing here and go spend some time perusing Style Me Pretty...you'll learn a lot and leave inspired.

http://www.stylemepretty.com/little-black-book/north-carolina/raleigh-durham/event-planning/

One of my favorite ceremony readings

2009-07-15T12:05:00.004-04:00

I was just reminded of one of my very favorite ceremony readings. I love e.e. cummings.

What do you think is a great poem or reading for a wedding ceremony?

i carry your heart - e.e. cummings

i carry your heart with me (i carry it in
my heart) i am never without it (anywhere
i go you go,my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing,my darling)
i fear no fate (for you are my fate,my sweet) i want
no world (for beautiful you are my world,my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows
higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart (i carry it in my heart)

Watch Grace on the CW's "Hitched or Ditched"!

2009-07-07T08:15:00.004-04:00

Hello Friends,

Here is a link to the CW Network's site where you can watch full episodes of their shows. The new wedding reality show that I was a part of, "Hitched or Ditched", aired on June 30th and you can now view it here! The title of the episode in which I appear is "The White Devil". Enjoy...and let me know what you think!

XOXO

http://www.cwtv.com

Andrea & Casey Go To "The Chapel"

2009-07-02T09:27:00.011-04:00

I am officially a self-diagnosed lazy blogger. I did take some time in June to go back to Colorado to see my family, but not an entire month! I'm sorry for the delay in getting some new content on here. Better late than never, right? Here are some photos from the wedding of Andrea Taylor and Casey Tuttle (not The Tuttles) in Durham on June 12th. Let me tell you something: I heart New York, I heart Local Yogurt, I heart my husband and dog, and I heart Andrea and Casey. They are so cute! And besides being cute and desperately in love and now married after 10 long years together, they are stylish, hip, fun, and spontaneous. I thought college frat parties were wild...you should have been at their wedding!

A photo of their elegant cake from Sweet Memories, covered in a lace design mimicking the lace on Andrea's Vera Wang Chantilly lace gown.
Catering and decor by The Catering Company of Chapel Hill. This was a really different look for the Doris Duke Center at the Sarah P. Duke Gardens in Durham; a briht chartreuse curtain hung from the ceiling covering one of the entry doors, and created an inspired private nook for the bride and groom's table, replete with its own chandelier.
A view of the terrace and some of the other sexy and chic chandeliers provided by The Catering Company. Fabulous linens by Party Tables Linens in Durham included Bertani Key Lime, Bertani Noir, Cranberry, and Kali Mah.
What do we love...a lounge area!!!

Beautiful flowers by the ladies of Tre Bella. I absolutely adore the pomander of "Kermit" button mums for the flower girl. So fresh and adorable! (And let me also just mention the fantastic DJ Ken from Joe Bunn DJ Company and the wonderful cars and drivers from Capital Style Limousine...)

Casey and Andrea expressed their personal and wedding style to me and many other vendors over the year+ during which they planned their wedding, then put their fate in the hands of the professionals. Andrea is full of grace and has a distinct personal style, but also has great trust in her friends, family and those she hired to create her unforgettable wedding. What I heard the most out of her was "I trust you to do what's best". What this did for me was make me want to work even harder for Andrea, to make her wedding something that would make her proud and happy. I think that we succeeded and hope that she and Casey do, too!

I'll try and post a link to their wedding from the photographer, Tom Edwards of New Image Studio, so you can see some more of the wedding as well as of Andrea's gorgeous gown and late night vintage-inspired party dress. I will not forget this wedding any time soon! I'll miss working with you, but hope we'll be friends for a long time to come. Thanks for spicing up my summer, you two. XOXO

Wedding Wellness

2009-06-04T09:59:00.005-04:00

Here we are in full swing of the spring and summer wedding season, and so I thought this would be a good time to give you some helpful hints as to how to actually be present at and experience your own wedding and not just be hyper focused on details, details, details until the end. Don't you want to enjoy what you've worked so hard for? Here are some ideas for how to cut the stress so you can increase the fun. Remember what I always say: the only thing your guests will remember is a stressed out bride.

-If you haven't had a wedding planner throughout your planning process, now is a great time to splurge (if you can fit it into your budget) and spend anywhere from $800 to $2,500 on a good "Day Of" coordinator, depending on your needs.

-If a Day Of Coordinator is not in the budge, spend $300-$600 having someone coordinate just your ceremony, if you don't have someone at your ceremony venue that comes with the package.

-If you have a church (or elsewhere) coordinator and don't have the budget for a Day Of Coordinator, make sure you make a complete wedding day timeline for the head of food and beverage and go over it with him or her in detail. They will be your de facto coordinator on your wedding day.

-Get some good nights' sleep! For goodness sake, put down the seating charts and REST. You don't want bags under your eyes or to be snapping at everyone over every little thing because you are tired. Crabiness from exhaustion does not go away just because you're not a baby.

-In the same vein, drink plenty of water. You'll flush out your system and feel healthy, it will give you more energy, and it will make your skin glow.

-Try and get every errand run and go over every last detail so that you can let go of your wedding on the Wednesday before (or three days before, depending) and trust the experts. You may think I am crazy for suggesting this but if you've planned well, this is possible. And you will be so thankful you did!

GLE Featured in Southern Weddings Blog!

2009-05-27T15:20:00.002-04:00

We are so honored to be included in the feature on the Southern Weddings Magazine blog about Paige and Brandon Goodwin's March 14th wedding in Durham. Congratulations again Paige and Brandon, and thank you so much to Tracy Turpen for taking such amazing photos!

http://www.swsmag.net/blog/2009/5/25/real-wedding-paige-brandon.html?lastPage=true&postSubmitted=true

Will they or won't they?

2009-05-26T07:07:00.001-04:00

Friendly reminder: watch the first of two Charlotte weddings planned by Grace and Ivy Robinson of Ivy Robinson Weddings & Events on the premier of the new CW Network wedding reality show, "Hitched or Ditched". Airs tonight at 9pm Eastern. The second Charlotte wedding will air on June 30th so set your DVRs!

http://www.cwtv.com/shows/hitched-or-ditched

Frozen Yogurt Anyone?

2009-05-20T19:02:00.007-04:00

Ladies and Gentlemen...now presenting...LOCAL YOGURT!!!

I am proud and excited to say that my latest venture has now opened, Local Yogurt.

Local Yogurt is Durham, North Carolina's first locally owned, independent frozen yogurt shop featuring the tart, creamy, plain flavor of yogurt that pinkberry has made famous (think yummy real yogurt, frozen), along with three other regularly rotating flavors (we have chocolate, peanut butter, and coffee right now) and a host of toppings including fresh mango, berries, and banana, as well as various candies and cereal you loved when you were a kid such as Fruity Pebbles, Cap N' Crunch, and Golden Grahams.

Local Yogurt has been a dream of mine for several years and I have been lucky enough to open it with a very good friend (who shall remain a nameless, faceless yogurt lover to the public), Ted Domville (the chef at www.sixplates.com), and my darling husband, Matthew.

Visit us online at www.localyogurt.com and please, if you're in the area or driving or flying through, come see us in person and get some natural, low fat, low calorie, DELICIOUS frozen yogurt made with real yogurt. It's locally owned and operated and we will feature a local topping of the month (think Foster's cookies, Dali Mama chocolate, 9th Street Bakery granola, etc.).

*localyogurt * good & good for you

* natural frozen yogurt. fresh & fun toppings *

"The Ultimate Ultimatum"

2009-05-14T12:00:00.001-04:00

Hey reality tv lovers...

Here is a new, more complete link to "Hitched or Ditched", the CW wedding reality show that is going to air this month!

My two episodes will take place on May 26th and June 30th.

Tune in and then let me know what you think!

http://cwtv.com/shows/hitched-or-ditched/episodes

Hiched or Ditched?

2009-05-05T15:53:00.003-04:00

This winter I had the opportunity to shoot two episodes of a new wedding reality TV show for the CW Network. Three months later, I just got word that "Hitched or Ditched" will air on Tuesday, May 26th and run through June 30th! It was such a crazy, fun, wild, interesting, and exhausting experience (not to mention hilarious at times) that I cannot WAIT to see how it all plays out on TV and once it's been edited.

The show revolves around couples who have been dating for a long time and for one reason or another have not yet gotten married. The couples are surprised with a dream wedding and, this being reality TV, are faced with a lot of drama and decisions regarding their upcoming nuptials. I was lucky enough to plan the two Charlotte weddings along with my friend, Ivy Robinson. While we planned both weddings together, you will see her on camera with one couple, and me with the other. Will they or won't they? Tune in to find out!

Here is a teaser that the CW posted on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1135308148878

Charlotte- May 26th
Boston-June 2nd
San Diego-June 9th
New Jersey- June 16th
Chicago-June 23rd
Charlotte- June 30th

Springtime in North Carolina

2009-04-16T09:04:00.003-04:00

I had the wonderful opportunity to assist with the "day of" Paige Sparkman and Brandon Goodwin's wedding in March. Paige and her mom Cy had done the majority of the planning, and I helped them to pull together the final details so that the weekend of the wedding would run smoothly and they could relax.

I always say that the one thing we cannot control is the weather. The Sparkman-Goodwin wedding was, unfortunately, a prime example of this. While it had been 75 and sunny here in Durham the week prior, it was about 35, bitter cold and rainy for this wedding weekend. A lot of brides would have cracked under the pressure of this - an outdoor cocktail reception at the rehearsal dinner, having to walk under an umbrella in her dress from the car to the Chapel and back, but not Paige. She was a consummate lady who shrugged off the inconvenience of it, brushed off her shoulders, and did not let the soggy weather dampen her spirits.

After all, you are getting married, not weddinged. If you stay focused on what you are doing and not how, then looking at the smiling, loving faces of your friends, family and sweetie, and feeling the support and enthusiasm around you will always triumph over bad weather. And what do I always say: despite your immaculate planning, the only thing anyone will remember is a stressed out bride.

It was my first time working with the photographer Tracy Turpen out of Charleston, and I loved her and her husband Lance. Enjoy the fabulous slide show she put together, and also check out
her website sometime - her photos are stunning. Thanks Tracy, and thank you to the Sparkmans and Goodwins for having me be a part of such a very special and beautiful weekend. You reminded me of the ingredients necessary for an unforgettable wedding: unconditional love, a good sense of humor, wonderful friends, great organization with a touch of irreverence, and a lot of go-with-the-flow attitude.

www.tracyturpenslideshows.com/goodwin

http://www.tracyturpen.com/

Purple Passion Part Deux: Gelato Bar

2009-04-06T20:50:00.001-04:00

Instead of a wedding cake, Milyeri wanted to have a fun and delicious, interactive and SWEET marble slab gelato bar. After dinner, guests got up from their seats to go to the counter and place their dessert orders with one of the purple apron-clad servers.

The gelato was served from an authentic ice cream service cart, courtesy of Sugarland in Chapel Hill, NC.

Guests could choose from the variety of gelato flavors and toppings offered, which were then mixed together on top of the cold, marble counter top and then served in custom stamped white cups with purple spoons, of course!

Toppings included rich chocolate brownie bites, fresh whipped cream, walnuts, fresh fruit, and house made waffle cone cups.

If anyone needed a little inspiration, they could select one of the three concoctions created by the bride herself, which incorporated her favorite flavors and toppings, as well as those of her groom and her mom.

How sweet it is! And how original, too.

Purple Passion

2009-04-06T14:45:00.000-04:00

March brought Milyeri and Neil's wedding: an elegant event in the heart of Durham which we'd been planning for just over a year. Milyeri is a Duke grad and a savvy New York lawyer and Neil is a gregarious South African whom Milyeri met while studying abroad, so we had a lot style and inspiration from which to draw ideas.

Milyeri's dream for her wedding was to have a sophisticated and expertly executed three course served dinner, an incredible band that could play everything from Luther to Mary J. (and all things in between), and a breathtaking room bathed in her signature color, purple. While I think we succeeded on all counts, nothing was more stunning that day than Milyeri, a timeless beauty who looked like she stepped out of Hollywood's golden era.

Enjoy a few photos below, mostly courtesy of our lighting guru, Dave Watson. Thanks for the gorgeous pics, Dave!

Milyeri and her bridesmaids, in amazing hand-made dresses. Check out the vertical bow on the backs of them!

Had to include a fabulous lounge area, of course.

Chandeliers placed strategically throughout the room brought down the massive height of the ceiling and added to the feeling of it being an elegant dinner party with just a splash of drama.

Crystals were hung from the tall, branchy arrangements placed in the cocktail hour on the bars and escort card table.

Purple crystal Waterford flutes for the bride and groom.

A shot of the room: we used 72" round tables, gold chiavaris with ivory cushions, gold rimmed china, three different varieties of centerpieces, and gorgeous menu cards printed with each guest's name at the top (in lieu of separate place cards). Tables were named for some of the couple's favorite songs. Fete accompli!

Everything Old Is New Again

2009-03-25T18:18:00.000-04:00

On Sunday, my husband and I made a much dreaded (by me) trip to Sam's Club. I am not a lover of the mega-store packed with over sized everything. I'm not trying to speak poorly about it and know that it has it's value and that many people love it and swear by it, I'm simply saying that my house lacking in good storage space to fit bulk anything, and so the sight of tubs of guacamole, barrels of pretzels, and crates of toilet tissue send shivers down my spine. I hate clutter. But, I digress. We went in there to buy a few things including a case of Pellegrino ($12!), which I find is one of the most super fantastic hidden gems at Sam's.

On the way out, I walked past the fresh flower section and thought it'd be nice to get some for the house. I was feeling a little too cheap to buy a small $20 arrangement and so I almost moved on, when I noticed the petite yet colorful section of carnations. A lovely little bunch of hot pink ones caught my eye and seemed to wink at me in their own cheerful, flirty way, and so I snatched them up immediately. Off I went with my Pellegrino and $6 of pure joy - my hot pink carnations.

I'm officially bringing carnations back. I know I am not the first one and so I'll come right out and say that I am behind on the tacky-turned-kitchy-turned-chic nature of these flowers, but that's beside the point. They are colorful, cheery, inexpensive, and when put together in a simple, sophisticated way (as I have done with a low, square container and some rocks), look just about as fresh and stylish as Blake Lively's golden tresses. And for SIX DOLLARS! It's the little things that matter these days, and I can tell you that these are a petite treat that have brightened up my mood more than once this week thus far.

Inspiration For A Classy, Colorful Wedding

2009-03-25T18:04:00.000-04:00

Check out this absolutely chic, lovely Australian style blog that was first shared by Abby Larson at Style Me Pretty and then recommended to me by the lovely Lindsey Cheek. I am sooo inspired by this style and you might be, too!

http://absolutelybeautifulthings.blogspot.com/

Also, check out my friend Lindsey's lovely Chapel Hill High Noon wedding as seen on Style Me Pretty. I'm a little behind in sharing this...sorry, LC!

http://www.stylemepretty.com/2009/03/14/real-wedding-lindsey-and-grayson-at-chapel-hill-north-carolina/

Be A Lady

2009-03-17T16:12:00.000-04:00

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/diana-falzone/the-lost-art-of-being-a-l_b_174382.html

On Gratitude

2009-03-12T17:05:00.000-04:00

I made a commitment to myself to try and write on this thing about once a week, and I am falling short on my duties. I've been really busy lately and haven't made time for it, or haven't been inspired during my minimal free time, one of the two. I'm so grateful to be busy though, and I guess that's really all that I want to write about today. We are all hearing so much bad news every single day these days. More lay-offs, job losses, cut-backs. Higher unemployment numbers, lower stock market numbers, troubling times ahead.

I am feeling very lucky and fortunate and grateful these days for my business and for all of my wonderful clients. They may or may not all read this, but I just want to say thank you to them. Actually, I want to stand on my rickety desk and shout THANK YOU for choosing me to be the one to help you plan your big, important, incredibly special day. I am inspired daily by each of you and am having such a good time doing what I do with you. I know that I am one of the lucky ones who gets to do a job she loves, and I just can't say thank you enough for helping make that possible.

Take A Load Off, Annie.

2009-02-23T12:24:00.000-05:00

I am kind of a couch potato at times! It's embarrassing to admit, and I wish that I could say I am someone who "just can't sit down" and "has to be doing something at all times" and gets "antsy lounging around watching 90210 re-runs"...but that's not me. At least not in general. I love a good sofa/couch/love seat, and love even more having a few quiet moments to really sink into it by myself, or to share it with a good book, my dog, my hubbie, or my new boyfriend, DVR.

The very popular trend of including lounge furniture at wedding receptions and events of all kinds leads me to believe that I am not the only Lazy Lucy around! Who doesn't like to kick up their heels (or kick off their painful, new heels, ouch!) and enjoy a cocktail while chatting with an old friend (or new flame) and watching people get crazy (or silly, or sentimental) on the dance floor. Sitting somewhere comfortable and soaking in the atmosphere of the wedding or event you are attending is a natural tendency and desire. The thing is, party-goers didn't even realize how much the lounge was something they did desire until it became fairly ubiquitous. Now it is very nearly a must have.

Your wedding guests will love these unusual seating options for meals that only require small plates that can easily rest on their laps (and that require only a salad fork and no knife to consume), or for later in the evening after an elegant, served meal when all they want to do is watch your mom's eccentric college roommate break out her rusty (but passionate) Hustle moves from 1976 to the band's best version of "Hot In Here". Awkward, yes, but fun to watch from a fabulous couch or ottoman on the side lines!

Here are a few ideas for you. You can see how well a lounge area can fit into a tent devoted just to dancing, the corner of a gorgeous indoor venue, or off to the side of a more formal affair. Depending on your style, you can keep it sleek or add lots of pillows. For something more sultry, why not get a great throw rug, forgo the sofas, and put pillows straight down on the rug? That might become a midsummer night beneath the stars as unforgettable for another couple as for the bride and groom.

Lounge it up!

Be&D Mine

2009-02-12T11:19:00.000-05:00

I'm giddy on the heels of hosting my first private sale of gorgeous, luxe handbags, belts and shoes by the design team of Be&D at my husband's place, Six Plates Wine Bar in Durham (http://www.sixplates.com/). Besides being insanely talented designers, Be&D also happen to be two of my favorite people I know. Each piece they create is handmade in their New York City atelier out of the highest quality Italian leather they've found. I've heard plenty of people (who know better than even I do) comment that the quality is far superior to other more well known luxury brands.

The thing I love about this line is that there is something for every type of woman, no matter her age or personal style. And the bags and shoes are all so different that even if there is a room full of people wearing them, no two look the same. Certainly there are design elements that sometimes carry over so you can tell it's a Be&D (they're famous for bold hardware) but in general, you feel like an individual with your piece. They're a little bit flashy, a lot luxurious, and always stand out. Looking at a sea of them at the sale we hosted was like coming across a blanket of gems that washed ashore; I wanted to bend down to inspect every last one of them. If only my pockets were deep enough to carry them all home!

It's no wonder that two such interesting and complex individuals came up with a line that has so many personalities. I personally have one for every mood, in large part thanks for my dear friend "D". The clutches in the photo here are fabulous for an evening out or just for running to get coffee, but especially make the perfect accessory to your fabulous rehearsal dinner dress (which then will do double-duty on your honeymoon, believe me).

Be&D also has some beautiful options for bridal handbags: lots of white leather, white patent, big bows, ruffles, and all things bridal and feminine. Alternatively, you can bring out the Carrie Bradshaw in you and carry one in hot pink or Peacock Blue, the definite "IT" color in weddings this season.

Enjoy perusing the fruits of my friends' labor. I love them, I love their bags, and I hope you will too. Boys, thank you for trusting me enough to send your precious gems down South! We're all still buzzing about our new acquisitions.

http://www.beandd.com/

For Valentine's Day AND your Big Day!

A Note From The Ghost of Emily Post

2009-02-04T10:59:00.000-05:00

A recent email from a bride of mine has prompted this post. I tend to be quite a stickler when it comes to etiquette. Now, that doesn't mean that I don't encourage straying from certain time old traditions in favor of more updated ones that suit your style. After all, it's 2009 and things are different now. In certain places, men can legally marry men and women can legally marry women (and if it was up to me, it would be legal for everyone everywhere today).

You are not like every other bride and so your wedding should reflect you (and your sweetheart too...let's not forget him). That said, there are certain formalities when it comes to weddings that I think are important to uphold. For instance, get your thank you notes out on time. People really appreciate receiving them and often worry when they don't, that their gift has gotten lost in the mail. Also, remember that your wedding is not the end-all be-all event to almost anyone other than you and your families (sorry to break it to you!), so take measures to help ensure your guests will enjoy themselves to the fullest. For example, provide transportation between events if it fits into your budget. If it doesn't, simply type up a weekend itinerary and directions to have at the front desk of the hotel to make getting around easier on them. Don't have a ceremony at 4pm with a three hour break before the reception. This is really aggravating to guests and frankly, just gives people an excuse to go to a bar to kill time. I don't have to tell you why that's a bad idea!

Perhaps the most important etiquette issues in my book is related to your wedding invitations. If you don't know how to properly address them, ask someone! If no one in your life knows, get advice from a wedding planner, a professional at a stationery store, or a calligrapher. If all else fails, consult The Wedding Blue Book by Crane, which has any answer you could possibly need when it comes to wedding etiquette queries. The worst foot to get off on is sending a guest (who is supposedly a very special person in your life if they are invited to your big day) an invitation that is improperly addressed or worse, that has their name spelled incorrectly. Proofread, proofread, proofread!!!

And so now a note to your guests from the ghost of Emily Post:

If you are a single person (or even if you have a boyfriend or girlfriend but they don't live with you), and you receive a wedding invitation that is addressed only to you, you are not invited to the wedding with a guest. Period. Furthermore, do not ask the bride if you can bring a guest with you.

There are many reasons why a bride might choose to not allow you to bring a guest: space in the venue, limited budget, or the desire to keep the wedding more intimate. Whatever the reason, it is her prerogative to do so and it is the absolute height of tackiness to call her up and ask if you can bring someone along. It puts your friend, the bride, in an awkward position and it's something she will always remember that you did. Do you want to be remembered for your bad manners? How about being remembered for that knock-out dress you wore to the wedding instead? Just please, for the love of the bride, make sure it's not white.

Inspiration Everywhere

2009-01-29T11:04:00.001-05:00

I LOVE this fabric. And while I really might order it for new living room curtains, it's gotten me thinking about how inspiration for your special event can come from anywhere and everywhere. Whether you're coordinating a wedding, mitzvah, anniversary, or dinner with friends at home to celebrate a successful break-up (sometimes break-ups deserve a celebration too), pay attention to the world around you in the months or weeks leading up to it. You never know what will strike your fancy and get the design ball rolling. I never thought I'd find such inspiration in the small town of Gastonia, North Carolina!

Don't be afraid to use things for other purposes than those for which they are intended. This fabric is from a fabulous fabric store called Mary Joe's. It's a Waverly pattern, which is typically used in the home. But who says it can't be used for your event? Why not have linens custom made? If you do, you can be sure that almost no other bride will have had the same table linens as you, and sometimes buying fabric and having a seamstress sew linens costs just as much as renting them for $40 or so a pop. What's more, you then get to keep them once the event is over. There's no telling what you could do with them afterwards...perhaps make matching outfits for your 8 children who form a singing group in the Austrian Alps? Ha!

Don't be afraid to get creative just because you think it might be pricey to do so. Gather inspiration everywhere. Travel with a digital camera or snap shots with your phone to keep in your inspiration file. A simple pattern can give you big ideas and help you, your florist, your planner, or your friends to make your event truly your own.

Yours truly,
grace

Who tied this bow???

2009-01-22T09:34:00.001-05:00

My mom loves to tell the story of the moment I became a Bridezilla. It happened when she, my sister, and step-mother came over to help me tie bows around the sweets I was to have placed on hotel guests' beds at turn-down time the Friday before my own wedding. "WHO TIED THIS BOW???" I shrieked, as I examined a box of six Krispy Kreme donuts around which, in my estimation, was a less than perfectly tied green and white striped gross grain ribbon.

Fortunately, my mother has a great sense of humor and shot back at me with something witty which got us all laughing. To this day, she will still sometimes feign shock and horror and cry, "WHO TIED THIS BOW???" at full volume, a perfect impersonation of me in my moment of mania. Every time it makes me laugh. And every time it reminds me that in life (and especially in wedding planning), you have got to take yourself less seriously! As a bride, it is so easy to get bogged down with details and to drive yourself crazy making sure that everything is perfect. Believe me, I've been there and I know.

But it is vitally important that you remember these three things: 1. There is no such thing as perfect. 2. No one, and I mean no one, will notice an ill-tied bow other than you. 3. The only thing your wedding guests will remember, even if your linens are starched, the sunset is spectacular over the water as you say your vows, or Justin Timberlake makes a guest appearance with your band, is a stressed out bride.

Take it easy. You owe it to yourself, your guests, and of course, your mother!

Mmmmmm cupcakes.

2009-01-21T16:46:00.000-05:00

My inaugural post is in honor of the inauguration (of course!) and of my sister Mary, who has never met a cupcake she didn't like. I think she's even written songs about them. And like many brides over the past 8 years or so, she served them in lieu of a wedding cake at her own fabulous, very uptown-chic wedding at a city club in Manhattan.

Since winter is a wonderful time to pack on a few extra pounds to stay warm, I thought I'd take this opportunity to encourage you to eat more cupcakes. And from a wedding planning point of view, say that I still think that noshing on a cupcake, rather than on a piece of cake, for your first shared meal as husband and wife remains a perfectly en vogue and wonderfully sweet way to celebrate the start of your new life together.

While dessert bars became all the rage at weddings in 2008 as a clever and festive alternative to a plated dessert or wedding cake, why not get back to basics at your winter 2009 wedding and give your guests what they are craving: six delicious bites of heaven wrapped into a perfectly sized package and iced with love (or sometimes buttercream flowers). Here's a photo of some of my favorite cupcakes. No need to get fancy with flavors; chocolate and vanilla are always a hit! These particular ones are displayed geometrically on a simple, white pottery platter. This is a fresh alternative to the cupcake tree.

I wish I could go to Magnolia Bakery right now!