Lucky 2013!

Happy New Year!

It's been a few years since people very close to me (other than clients with whom I grew close over the months of getting to know them) have been getting engaged and planning their weddings.  I am so excited that at least two very special ladies in my life will be having weddings in 2013.  I'm filled with joy for them that they have found their soul mates, met their matches, and said YES!

Talking to them about their big days and helping them (in some small way) with their journeys also gives me a different perspective on wedding planning that is often easy to lose sight of when I am actually being paid to do the planning and am in the role of being the fearless leader, guiding the bride and her family through the trenches of budgets, contracts, linen swatches, and menu tastings.  It reminds me of the excitement, energy, and optimism that fills a new bride - and also of the vulnerability, emotion, and stress that a bride can often feel.

Planning a wedding can be daunting for even the most organized bride (or groom, or mother) with even the best binder filled with the most colored tabs, and heaps of knowledge gleaned from hours reading Style Me Pretty and watching reality wedding TV.  (Hopefully TV is not where the bulk of any one's information is coming from!)  All this to say, that it's important to ask for help.  Even if you don't have a big chunk of your budget set aside for a full service planner, or you really don't want one because you have the time and interest in planning your own wedding, the very best thing you can do is put some of your (or your parents') hard earned and saved funds for a wedding "Day Of" coordinator.

It is of the utmost importance that you and your family be guests at your own wedding.  You want to feel the magic and happiness of your wedding day.  The same magic and happiness that you felt on the day he proposed.  And the way to do that is to not be the one who is receiving last minute phone calls from vendors.

Call me if you need some advice - and happy planning to my sweet friends who this year will become brides and wives.

XOXO
grace

Beautiful Bridal Portraits by Nancy Ray

We had the pleasure of working for the first time last Saturday with Nancy Ray and her photography team on the wedding of a beautiful couple, English and Will, at Will's family home in Cary, NC.  Here's a link to English's bridal portraits by Nancy.

http://nancyrayphotography.com/2012/10/english-bridals/

The Autumn is such a gorgeous time to get married in North Carolina.  The leaves are turning and there is a crispness in the air, but the sun is still shining (for the most part - it's been crazy rainy here lately!) and there is an amazing glow in the sky at the end of the day.  I can't wait to share the wedding day photos that Nancy took at English and Will's wedding that reflect this amazing October feeling.

XOXO,
grace

Cake Pulls

Today I'm thinking a lot about my dear friend from New Orleans who recently left North Carolina to move back home.  Ironically, today I also came across this article from Southern Weddings about a "cake pull", a Southern tradition most popular in New Orleans and surrounding areas.  This is the first I've heard of it, but it sounds like so much fun and a special way to include your single friends in your reception and make them feel special.  Rani, can we work this into your wedding one day?  Is this remotely related to finding a baby in a King Cake?  I clearly need a lesson on New Orleans wedding culture!

http://iloveswmag.com/2011/07/21/uncovering-southern-traditions-cake-pulls/

XOXO,
grace

Barbara and Douglass's Romantic Rainy Day

Here is a wonderful post from HeartLoveWeddings about Barbara and Douglass's rustic, rainy wedding day in April.

The fabulous Cindy of Cuppa Photography captured the jewel tones the warm feeling of the day (despite the cold rain) in only the way she can.  We were lucky that day to also work with Durham Catering Company, Classic Party Rentals, Inkspot Crow Films, Tre Bella, Miel Bon Bons, Eastcoast Entertainment (and the Shimmer band), Arioso Strings, Get Lit Special Event Lighting, McLaurin Parking, Leah Achey, Pam Hung of On Lokation Makeup Artistry and the Paperhand Puppet Intervention.

Enjoy and Happy Friday!
XOXO

http://www.heartloveweddings.com/category/realweddings/

Are we there yet?

It seems like not matter where you live, you are probably suffering from heat stroke this summer.  We can't catch a break!  In the south, it's an unfortunate circumstance due to the humidity that we have to spend so much time in air conditioning.  Gone are my days in Colorado when at least we could keep the windows open and hope for a draft of hot, dry air.

All this heat has me thinking about the winter and that wonderful feeling of having on jeans and boots and big sweaters.  Or more importantly, having on a black dress, black tights, black heels and a wrap as I execute a winter wedding.  Those days will be here before we know it!  And to all of you winter brides: Brilliant planning on your part.  You won't have to blot your forehead one single time!

Here are a few photos from a gorgeous winter wonderland we did last December.  Hope they help cool you off.

XOXO
grace

*Thank you to Natalie Hyde of Aesthetic Images Photography for the beautiful photos!

Five-Ring Love

It’s about that time again and I’m positive all of y’all are as excited for the 2012 Olympic Games as I am.  What better way to bring nearly every nation together for the whole world to watch and cheer on?  I love it!

The saying “you’ll find love when you’re least expecting it” dates back to the ancient Olympic Game days I’m sure.  When preparing to participate in the Olympics you’re head is in the game, not in the game, and love is probably the last thing on these athletes minds.  However, some lucky Olympians brought home more than a gold, silver, or bronze medal; they came home with a diamond.   

·      Marc Seliger and Maureen Heagany

During the 2002 Salt Lake Winter Olympics, Seliger was the goalie for the German National Hockey Team.  Heagany at the time was a college student volunteering at the Olympics as a barista in a coffee shop.  One morning, Seliger went down for some coffee and mentioned that he liked the music that was playing.  Heagany offered to burn him a copy of the CD (this must be before iPods existed) and on that CD she wrote her email address.  It wasn’t before he got back to Germany that he played the CD and realized there was something written on it.  They started emailing, talking on the phone, and before you knew it wedding bells were ringing!

·      Kristi Yamaguchi and Bret Hedican

Yamaguchi and her hubby Hedican met at the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France.  Yamaguchi was a gold medalist in figure skating, and Hedican was an Olympic hockey player.  They married in 2000 and clearly had a lot more in common other than being exceptionally skilled on the ice!

·      Olga Fikotová-Connolly and Harold Connolly

Connolly, an American Olympian took the gold in the hammer throw in Melbourne 1956, where he met Fikotová who was a discus thrower.  Their romance caused an immense amount of international controversy because Fikotová was from the Communist-controlled country Czechoslovakia (say that ten times fast).  In 1957 Connolly received assistance from the U.S. State Department and traveled to Prague to make a personal appeal to the Czech president for permission to marry Fikotová.  His permission was granted and there were over 30,000 people at their nuptials.  Sad to say that their marriage ended in divorce in 1974, but Connolly definitely gets an A for effort in my book!

Hope y’all enjoyed this little Olympic love history lesson as much as you will the actual Games!

Until next time,

Elise

Blame it all on my roots, I showed up in boots

About five years ago I bought my first pair of cowboy boots and it seems like I haven’t been able to take them off since.  My boots are 110% my favorite shoes I have ever owned and definitely money well spent.  They are perfect for any season and are very versatile.  In the fall and winter you can slip them on over your skinny jeans and in the spring and summer they are great with a sundress.  Since they stay in style all year round, they are obviously perfect for any wedding no matter what the season.  

I love both the bride and bridesmaids in cowboy boots.  If you have ever been a bridesmaid or known anyone that has, you know that in the end this can be a very expensive duty.  The least you can do is cut the cost by at least $100 on a pair of shoes that they could very possibly only wear once.  Most girls I know especially the ones living down here in the south already own a pair of boots.  Well, at least all my future bridesmaids do. :)  Having your bridesmaids in their own cowboy boots can also add a bit of flair.  Chances are your girls don’t have the same pair of boots as another and some could also have colored boots, which looks great in photos.

My dream wedding is a fall country chic wedding and the boots add the perfect touch.  My girls and myself will be in boots and mismatched dresses for that little extra mmph.  

Until next time,

Elise

                                                          (photo by lover.ly)

                                                 (photo by Photos by Natalie)

                            (photo by Derek Wayne Lee Photography)