Blog – Page 74 – St. Simons Wedding Planner

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It’s All Fun and Games…

Wedding Advice

Are you the bride who wants to totally shake up her wedding? Or maybe you want a different spin on your fete. Instead of the boring cocktail hour–invite your guests to enjoy drinks and hors d’oeuvres during a set from a comedian! It’s a great way to start the evening– with laughter and fun, and it will surely keep your guests entertained. Avoid getting someone you know– you don’t want it to be a roast (particularly if you are off taking pictures, it would be downright awkward). Instead, ask your entertainer to focus on universal material with a little bit about weddings thrown in. It’s a great way to avoid the subdued nature of guests and get them ready for a fantastic party.

Visit your local comedy club and view a few sets. This will give you the opportunity to get a feel for the comedian and their hold over the crowd. If you want some star power, try my friends at The Bazel Group. They have been awesome to work with and can bring any entertainment to you– no matter where you are!

Laugh on!

It’s the Little Things…

Wedding Advice, Wedding Sugar

I’m all about maximizing my time and my money. Even if you’re on a strict budget, your wedding doesn’t have to look like it.

I think it’s safe to say that every couple wants their wedding to be memorable, fun and classy. However, it can be extremely easy to journey into the world of McWeddings if you aren’t careful. One road sign on that journey says “You’re trying to do too much with too little money: McWedding…5 miles”. I thought I would give some ideas on little things you can do to make a big impact.

Add color. Even in the tiniest of introductions, color can really pop against blah bland white linens. I don’t mean color in the obvious places such as flowers. Let’s forget those for a minute. Think instead of colored votive holders– as the night draws on, soft hued light saturates your room. But it also adds dimension and depth to the table in the light. When placed strategically, they can look very chic. Cudge is an awesome resource for great votives and holders.
White Out. Go white– ALL white. I recently blogged about P. Diddy’s White Party. These parties are all the rage in celebrity events– especially those taking place on the sea or in a coastal region. It looks very upscale and is SO easy to do. This would include bridesmaids’ dresses as well. Silver accents naturally found at your venue (i.e., the silverware, candelabras, etc.)
Attention to Detail— Little things can really set you apart and look upscale: elegantly designed menu cards, colored napkins and/or designer napkin treatments, wall and floor decals, etc. The idea is to create an experience for your guests; you want something out of the ordinary.
Play Dress Up— While you do want to have a cohesive and fluid look, if your budget does not allow for you to completely design your event dress up part of venue. Go for an uber decked out sweetheart table that is the focal point of the room: use different colored liners and overlays, elaborate centerpieces, etc. and tie in the rest of your tables with a coordinating liner or napkin (a less expensive option). You could also just splurge on chair covers or chair decor, cake table decorations, props, etc.
Bottoms Up! Nothing says a great party like great drinks and food. Introduce a signature drink during your cocktail hour. Dress it up with rented ornate glasses and get creative with your presentation. Have servers pass them on clear acrylic trays. When your guests are coming into the cocktail hour you need to be prepared to wow them. Even though it is only an hour (or so) long, it is the introduction into the night and were you need to set the tone. Splurge on dressed up cocktail tables and centerpieces (these can moved later to an area in the reception if necessary). Get creative with your hors d’oeuvres as well. Stuffed mushrooms are delicious, but they are downright ugly when piled up on a platter and shuffled around between 100 people. Talk with your caterer about great presentation ideas. You may find stations may allow you more creative license and could prove to be less expensive. Passed hors d’oeuvres can be beautiful too– check out a nice shrimp or gazpacho shooter!
Go interactive. Invite your guests to the fun by having a photobooth or hand drawn caricatures. A little too expensive? No problem! Rent a popcorn or cotton candy machine for some late night fun.

Whether you use one or all, these are ideas that you can incorporate into your plans that will make your event feel and look like a million bucks!
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Now playing: Fergie – Glamorous (Feat. Ludacris)
via FoxyTunes

Think Inside the Box

Wedding Advice, Wedding Sugar

I was searching the internet for some cute ideas for seating cards, favors, decor, etc. And I came across these great little boxes from blumebox . They have sets called blumebuds that come in packs of six and include the pattern bases, tubes and place cards. All of the bases are reversible so it gives you more than one option.

Along with the blumebuds they also have other blumebox products such as the actual blumebox (tall or short), boas, belly bands (for contrasting color), and gift tags. The blumebox is an actual box that you can put flowers into, they come in two sizes and fifteen different colors.

You can also take a look at their photo gallery for ideas. If you see any designs you like you can contact them and they will provide you with the simple instructions.

They make it so easy to “think inside the box”.

Running Scared

Wedding Sugar

Last week I had the following conversation with Joe, my husband-to-be:Joe: What’s left to do for the wedding?

Me: So much, I need an aisle runner for one thing.

Joe: What do we need him for?

Me: Him who?

Joe: A runner, why do we need him?

Me: You have no idea what a runner is do you?

Joe: Yeah like the kids you have that like go and run down the aisle in front of you and like throw down flowers or whatever.

Me: Geez, no, it’s the material that you walk on down the aisle.

Joe: Oh well, can’t you get that at your dress shop?

Me: No, why would the dress shop have it, they sell dresses.

Joe: And you have to buy your own runner from somewhere else? Doesn’t it attach to the dress?!

Me: That would be a train.

Needless to say, he was not going to be any help in aisle runner department, so I turned to a pro, Terrica Wedding Diva, for her opinion about where I should start my aisle runner search. She recommended a number of websites (http://www.originalaislerunner.com/, http://www.fairytalerunners.com/, http://www.signatureweddingaislerunners.com/) all of which I pored over while I should have been accomplishing something at my day job. The runners at these sites are definitely of a very high quality. Most of them even come with the option of sticky bottoms for ease when laying down your runner so you/your wedding ushers aren’t forced to do battle with double sided tape on the day of. Of course, the overall fabulousness of the runners on these sites comes with a price. One that I decided I could not afford.

So I started looking into cheaper runners, and found various options ranging from runners that were basically made from notebook paper to some combination of a fabric and paper material. Much more affordable, but are they worth it?…I took to the streets to find out…okay that’s not true at all but I’ve always wanted to say that. Actually, I took to searching various bridal chat sites and reading, with great fear, about the many horror stories that all more or less began with some variation of “I wanted to save money on an aisle runner…” and more or less ended with some variation of trips, falls, minor injuries, embarrassments or general disappointment in their aisle runner decisions.

After replaying a scenario in my mind where the heel of my shoe pokes a hole through the butcher paper I’ve purchased in lieu of a decent runner, and I trip and fall before all of my guests, I decided to forego the idea altogether. I’m sure there’s some old cliché that would be appropriate here about not using some poor substitute when you should have used the real thing, or something to that effect, but I can’t recall it at the moment. Oh the rambling…

…the point is I decided that if I couldn’t go big, I’d go alternative, and chose to have flower petals lining the aisle instead. To cut costs even further I realized that there are really great flower selections at Cosco and Sam’s Club, so I plan to hit up both those places a day or two before the wedding and stock up on roses for the aisle and probably as table decorations as well. Two birds, one stone, and STILL so much left to do….and I always wondered why people needed planners?!

One Way Ticket to Wifeville

Wedding Sugar

Wifeville rocks.

I know for some brides, it’s hard to give up the cute tanks and cami’s that say “bride” or the soft terry hoodie that reads “Future Mrs. So and So”. Enter: Wifeville. And even its birth story is cute: It evolved from the very excitement every new wife experiences when she is introduced as Mrs. So and So or her hubby’s wife.

Featured in the Style Lounge at the MTV Movie Awards, Wifeville marries sassy design with a little tongue in chic. Who can resist these “The Wife Wears Prada” hoodies? And tell me how you can resist this “The Wife is Right” tee shirt. These are perfect honeymoon wear or a gift for your favorite bride.

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Now playing: Accademia Strumentale Italiana – Stefano Lando – Madrigale Io Vivea Come Aquila
via FoxyTunes

G-L-A-M-O-R-O-U-S

Wedding Sugar

Okay, I really love the very chic old Hollywood look. So, when I went to my favorite site SHOPINTUITION I was so excited to see that their featured must haves were Mixing Old and New Hollywood Glam. They really have some great stuff. If you have a special occasion coming up or just feel like splurging, you should definitely check them out.

You can find everything from stylish accessories and gifts, to retro tees, and glitzy clutches. Their vintage inspired finds are still my favorites, but they have something for whatever your style is. So, whatever look your going for you will definitely be G-L-A-M-O-R-O-U-S.

Got Hair? Got a Face? Get James.

St Simons & Jekyll Island Weddings, Terrica Talk, Wedding Advice

I think everyone knows how much I love James Grella. Any man whose hair is longer than mine is a keeper in the Diva Squad. (FYI, the Diva Squad is a group of professionals that work tirelessly to pull Miss Thang, yours truly, together. Other great members of the Diva Squad would also be the Crayola People for makeup LOL)

James, featured here by the awesome Scarlett Lillian with our diva bride, Tara is with Indulgence Salon on St. Simons Island. He and his team specialize in hair and makeup for special events. An awesome professional, James brings so much to the table– exploring different looks, colors and styles to compliment each bride’s face shape, complexion and personality. Event better, they come on location! Having worked with several celebrities and being a star in his field and world renowned, any bride would lucky to have him!

Give James a call at the salon at 912.638.4045 or visit them at 2463 Demere Road, Suite 106 on St. Simons Island. Tell him, Terrica, his biggest fan sent you!

Did You Know?

Terrica Talk, Wedding Advice

Let’s talk shop.

I’m going to share some things with you that you may have heard or thought about, that might not necessarily be true or warranted.

Hardly anyone really saves the top layer of their cake anymore. Sure, they say they will eat it at their first year anniversary, but come on. Let’s be real. A lot of brides are ditching that idea and tradition– I hear so many say “I am not going to want that nasty thing next year! Let’s eat the whole thing!” Besides, many bakers now give their clients discounted or free cakes at their first year anniversary.
Speaking of cakes…Wedding cake is cute. Wedding cake is sweet. But believe it or not, not everyone eats it! So it is really unnecessary to have a huge cake; save that money and apply it elsewhere. You may even want to consider doing dummy layers to get that “big cake” look or order a cake for only 70-90 percent of your guest list if you are having a dessert served with dinner.
You can eliminate the inner envelope from your invitation order. Save a tree. No one uses them anymore– they are antiquated. I know some of the etiquette books might tell you otherwise– but when you crack it open again, ask it if it is contributing to your budget. Originally, inner envelopes served a grand purpose: it kept the invitation clean and free from smudges and dirt when they were delivered by a courier on a horse. If that applies to you, then keep your inner envelope 🙂
If you have a small wedding guest list, you can do an iPod wedding. Many entertainment companies now rent out sound systems for this exact reason. This is particularly good for those smaller parties, especially with those in the guest list who are not big dancers. iTunes offer the “clean” versions of several songs if you are afraid of offending Grandma. Just remember to have a tech savvy friend man the station for important events (i.e., introduction, first dance, cake cutting, etc.). Remember to put some thought into your playlist. Start your party with something upbeat and fun, include songs from different eras to appeal to the masses, and occasionally slow it down to allow the couples a little romance time.
You should ALWAYS order extra invitations and envelopes. Not just because someone might mess up the envelope or one my tear, but because sometimes envelopes are addressed incorrectly and are returned back to you (or sometimes not at all). You will need to easily get out new invitations to go to your guests or send out invitations to those on your B list,in the event from your A list sends their regrets. Time is of the essence! Being able to do this quickly can eliminate the stress when the final numbers are due.

Fake Creme Brulee

Terrica Talk

Ok. My vices:

* Hair

* Makeup

* Creme Brulee

Creme Brulee is the best thing since sliced bread. If creme brulee was a person, it would be my husband 🙂 After a hard day of playing Mommy, Mrs. S. and Super Wedding Planner, I am sitting in my living room with a signature Berry Creme Brulee candle watching the Ultimate Fighter and about to enjoy some of my “fake” creme brulee.

So as you can see, I love creme brulee. I, however, lack the patience to make it and wait for it. So….I fake it! Now, you can too with super easy and no-one-will-know-unless-you-tell-them recipe:

1 pkg of Jell-O pudding

1 cup of heavy whipping cream (Land O’ Lakes is really good)

1 cup of milk (I use 2%)

If you want a really rich recipe, you can sub another cup of heavy whipping cream for the milk. I mix the ingredients together and whip it with my electric mixer until it is thick. Next, I scoop out the pudding and put it into my ramekins and smooth it out. After that is done, you have to cover it with plastic wrap to stop it from forming a “skin” on the top. Once that’s done, you refrigerate it. Truth be told, you could eat it right then after adding your sugar crust. I refrigerate mine for about an hour or so to get it to set a bit more. DEELISH!

Yesterday, while watching the Top Chef finale, I enjoyed a nice ramekin of fake lemon creme brulee and it is absolutely HEAVENLY. Tonight, it’s vanilla. I even have a box of Butterscotch pudding… Man. This is bad… I also have the flavored sugars– Cappucino, Raspberry, Praline and Butter Rum, in addition to my regular carmelizing sugar.

Signs of a true creme brulee addict. Don’t get me wrong, I adore the real creme brulee. But when I want it…and don’t have the time or the patience to do ice baths or waiting for a six hour set– well, hello, Jell-O.

I think I made Bill Cosby proud.

Now that takes the CUPcake.

Wedding Advice, Wedding Sugar

Cupcake Wedding Cake

Wanting something a little more unique?

Cupcake wedding cake. I know- YUM. It’s sure to leave your guests with some sweet memories of your big day. A cupcake wedding cake is usually less expensive than your traditional wedding cake, and since there are so many little cakes you can chose lots of flavors. Plus, you can still have one cake tier (or seperate cake) for you and your new hubby to slice through. Have your cupcakes decorated to match your theme, colors or even have your initials on each one. This is just one more way to give you a chance to show off your personality and great taste.

So remember… if you can’t decide on flavors- have them all. You really can have your (cup)cake and eat it too. 🙂