Teacher, Teacher!

I'm excited to share with you all that I will be teaching a class in the fall at Duke Continuing Studies for their Event Development Certificate Program.  The class is called Planning A Celebratory Event and will take place on Friday, November 2nd.  For those of you who are local and interested in learning more about how to plan various kinds of events and perhaps even how to one day become an event planner, this is a great opportunity.  There are some great courses being taught on various topics, and I'm the only one teaching on social event planning!  Come spend a Friday morning with me and we'll have fun, I promise.

Please check out this link for more information.  Hope to see you!

XOXO
grace

http://www.learnmore.duke.edu/certificates/

Cupcake Wars

 If my future hubby wants to see me go from 0-Bridezilla in .2 seconds, he could smear cake all over my face at our reception.  This is my number one pet peeve during the cutting of the cake.  Some brides may be down with having their perfectly done make up ruined by cake, but not this girl!

We all know that men can promise over and over that they won’t do something, but in the end they do it because they think it would be “funny” and they “didn’t think you would really get that mad.”  This is definitely one of those instances and I can absolutely see it happening to me.  I have decided that the way I can avoid this awful situation at all costs, no questions asked, is to not even have a cake at my wedding.

Cupcakes are super trendy at weddings right now and I think they are fabulous.  I am sure that the tradition book states somewhere that you should have at least a three-tiered cake at your wedding, and that the DJ or band should stop all the music and dancing to announce that the bride and groom are cutting the cake.  But, as I said in my last post and it still reigns true, times are a changin’. 

Cupcakes will be at my wedding for a few reasons.  The number one reason is stated above, and the second reason is that cupcakes are more convenient.  You don’t need a plate and a fork for a cupcake and you can take them at your leisure.  The DJ does not need to make an announcement for guests to take a cupcake, as he would for a cake.  I have been to weddings where there is just a cake and no cupcakes, and also weddings where there are only cupcakes, and I have observed that guests tend to eat more cupcakes than they do cake.  After all, the goal is for the guests to eat the dessert right?  Leftover cake will not be making the flight to the honeymoon! 

Until next time,

Elise 

                                               (photo by FairCake)

Love at first…look

I was recently introduced to the term “first look” wedding photos.  Being that I am blonde and very traditional in my ways, I knew that it could not mean what I thought it meant.  My mind was wandering and straying far away from the reality of this concept, and I came to the conclusion that it had to be photos of the bride once she was in her dress with her hair and make up freshly done.  A first look at the total package of the bride…kind of makes sense, right?

WRONG!  We all know that the traditional practice is for the groom to not set eyes on the bride before she walks down the aisle.  Well, times are a changin’.  First look photos are a booming new trend in the wedding world. 

I’m sure everyone who is reading this is slowly putting the pieces of the puzzle together on this foreign idea.  But, for those of you who are just as confused as I was, let me break it down for you.  First look wedding photos are a photo op for the bride and groom before the ceremony.  The way it typically works is the groom is standing in a picture perfect area with his back facing the bride.  The bride walks up to him (almost as if she is walking down the aisle), and once she reaches her man destination, she taps him on the back, he turns around, and BOOM – first look at each other as bride and groom and the camera snaps away.

While your grandmother and mother probably frown at this idea, I think it is fantastic.  When I attend weddings, I always try to remind myself to look at the grooms face once he takes the first glance at his bride.  This is very hard to do.  My eyes are always fixated on the bride, analyzing her dress, hair, make up…you know.  Then when I realize that I wanted to be looking at the groom I look like a crazy person with my head twisting back and forth.  With first look photos, it is all captured.  Another reason why I think this idea is great, is because you get to share the intimacy of just the two of you, not in front of anyone else, seeing each other for the first time.  Yes, the photographers are there but they are too busy doing their job snapping away, and I think that we can all agree it would be less awkward saying what you wanted to say in front of a photographer than it would be an officiant…            

Until next time,

Elise

                                   (photo by Platinum Touch Events)

Wedique

Wed-ique [wed-eek]

 adjective

1.     existing as the only wedding

2.     having no like or equal wedding

3.     incomparable to other weddings : Wow, that was wedique!

4.     unique wedding

Reflecting on all of the weddings you have attended in your lifetime, I am sure we can all agree that we have been to the standard cookie-cutter wedding.  I’m talking church ceremony at 5 pm where the church looks like a Sunday mass just let out, followed by a minimally decorated reception at a venue down the street.  Don’t get me wrong, there is absolutely nothing wrong with this wedding, but also nothing spectacular about it.  If you can’t remember any amazing detail that stood out to you at the wedding or reception (and not because of the open bar), then we’ve got a problem.  There are tons of simple ideas that won’t break the bank that you can incorporate into your wedding to make it memorable and wedique!  

o   Guest book.  When I go to a wedding one thing I can count on for sure being there is the guest book.  Honestly deep down, I loathe this part of the event.  My brain is picked for some sappy sentimental sentence of well wishes to write to the couple.  All of the postings end up sounding very alike, and then the bride and groom are stuck with a huge book of well wishes to do….what with?  A great alternative to a guest book that I found on Pinterest (of course), is purchasing a plain colored puzzle.  At the reception, have the puzzle pieces broken up scattered all around a table.  Have each guest sign a piece of the puzzle, and after the wedding frame the completed puzzle and hang it in your home.  Ta da…wedique!

o   Wedding favors.  What was the wedding favor you received from the last wedding you attended?  Better yet, where is it?  Good question… Wedding favors are another cost in your budgeted wedding, so if you are going to spend valuable money on them you should give something memorable.  I came across these perfect koozies on Pinterest that say “To have and to hold and to keep your beer cold”…wedique!

o   Bathrooms.  They always say that the two biggest memories from an event are the food and bathrooms.  Was the food good and did you have to walk a mile to get to the nearest porta-john?  This is a cute idea that everyone will remember from your wedding, since every one will visit the restrooms at least once throughout the duration of the event.  Put an old picture of the bride under the “Ladies” sign, and an old picture of the groom under the “Men” sign…wedique!

                                                          (photo via Jesi Haack Design)

                                                          (photo via Pinterest)

                                                   (photo via Luminaire Foto)

Until next time,

Elise

The Zig to my Zag

My chevron stripe obsession started about two months ago when I was satisfying my shopping addiction in the trendy boutiques of Cameron Village.  I saw the perfect black and ivory striped long-sleeved dress paired with a chunky turquoise necklace.  I knew immediately I had to have that dress, AND the necklace for that matter.  My love for the stripes didn’t end there.

There is no better word to describe our beloved chevron stripes right now other than “IN.”  Incorporating chevron stripes can put a modern twist on a classic summer wedding.  The ideas for using chevron are endless, but I would recommend using them sparingly since it is one of the boldest looks you can go for. 

If I were getting married tomorrow (taking deep breaths…), I would have sent out chevron save the dates and invitations to ensure my guests are excited for my summer wedding.  To keep the chevron theme in tact, I would have chosen either chevron table runners or napkins for the perfect pop of classy color.  With a sweet tooth as large as mine, I hope you didn’t think I forgot about dessert.  I would top it all off with this cake.  How fabulous is it?!

(Photo creds - yep, you guessed it, Pinterest)

Until next time,

Elise

    

Happy Summer!

I've obviously not been very good about writing regular posts since I've been figuring out how to balance my work life and my new life as a mama.  It's been crazy, but so much fun and now I'm ready to get this blog up to speed!  We have a lot of great things going on at GLE and have had some amazing events this spring (see photo below!), so please keep checking back.

I want to also "introduce" you to Elise Cranford, a fabulous Durham gal who will be writing frequent posts about wedding tips and trends.  Always nice to have someone else's unique style and taste in the mix...  Her first post will be up shortly!

XOXO,
grace

Deena and Brad's December Wedding in High Point!

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