Alt image
St. Simons Wedding Planner :: Island Destination Weddings | Wedding Advice
-1
archive,paged,category,category-wedding-advice,category-1110,paged-19,category-paged-19,edgt-core-1.3,ajax_fade,page_not_loaded,,hudson-ver-3.3, vertical_menu_with_scroll,smooth_scroll,blog_installed,hide_inital_sticky,wpb-js-composer js-comp-ver-7.0,vc_responsive

Odd Man Out: Inviting Guests to Your Wedding Rehearsal Dinner

Terrica Talk, Wedding Advice

Going to weddings can be a lot of fun for people.  For others– not so much.  Why do you think that is?  Well, if you are the significant other or spouse of a member in the bridal party or a guest, chances are you’re in unchartered territory.  New town.  New people.  Lots of Travel.  It’s always nice for the bride and groom to extend invitations to the SO’s of the bridal party for events that include the bridal party.

For example, if you’re having a rehearsal dinner, make sure you invite your Maid of Honor’s boyfriend or fiance…especially if they have flown in to spend this time with you.  Nothing is worse than hearing “Hey honey, I have to go to the rehearsal and then to the party afterwards. You stay here in the hotel room”.

Yep, kinda awkward.

If you cannot afford to invite significant others to the rehearsal dinner– then seriously reconsider the type  of rehearsal dinner you want to have.   And definitely don’t make the mistake of allowing one and not the other.  If you aren’t hosting the rehearsal dinner, talk to the person who is.  You can either pad the budget or assume the event yourself.  Besides, do you really want to risk slighting those friends and family who have agreed to stand up with you and have shown their support both financially and emotionally?  It could make for awkward or even ill-feelings the next day, which should be the most important and stress free day of your life!

—————-
Now playing: Billie Holiday – I’ll Be Seeing You
via FoxyTunes

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

0601br013601.jpg
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!
—————-
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”.

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.

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. 🙂

Getting EXACTLY what you want….

Wedding Advice

Faulous Zia 

…At least where it concerns your wedding jewelry

So you’ve got the dress, the shoes, and the veil and you’ve spent the past three months searching for the perfect jewelry to complement your already perfect dress on what is to be your perfect day.  The only problem is not that you aren’t sure what you want…it’s that you’re TOO sure.  You know precisely what you want and can’t find precisely what you want anywhere.  How exactly do you go about finding the perfect shade of light pink, freshwater pearls in just the right size and then making sure the length of the necklace is not a hair over 18 inches long and earrings to match?  It will never happen…

            Or well it couldn’t until now.  Meet the fabulous Zia Sachedina, owner and namesake of the equally as fabulous Zia Boutique in downtown Savannah, GA (http://www.ziaboutique.com/).  Zia means “luminous” in Arabic and luminous is the perfect description of his shop.  Zia’s beautiful boutique on Broughton Street features loads of contemporary and traditional jewelry, accessories and home accents from designers from around the world, the most important of whom (as far as I’m concerned) is Zia himself.  A graduate of the Savannah College of Art and Design, Zia grew up between Kenya and the U.S. watching and learning from his mother, also a successful jeweler. 

            But I digress…the point is that I meandered into Zia Botique a few weeks ago in search of necklaces for my bridesmaids, knowing what I was looking for but not able to find it.  I saw a necklace that was similar to what I was looking for, but not quite it.  I told him what I really wanted and to my surprise, he said “No problem.  I can have six of those for you next week.”  And he did!  The necklaces are exactly what I wanted and he even gift wrapped them!  I could not be more pleased.  The necklaces are fabulous, and as I blog Zia is presently working on a necklace and matching earrings for me to wear on the big day!

            Added to the fabulousness of being able to get what you want, is being able to get what you want at a super reasonable price.  Apparently, you do not have to be a super wealthy Hollywood starlet to find a jeweler to design your wedding jewelry for you. Who knew?  In fact, you don’t even have to be in Savannah, as you can order all of the jewelry from the website.  Getting exactly what you wanted was never so easy…now if only my future mother-in-law could be this accommodating…hmm next week’s blog idea?

Feel Lucky? Well, Do Ya?

Wedding Advice, Wedding Sugar

Here are some contests to enter while you are at work surfing for cute items for your wedding.  Don’t worry. I won’t tell your boss.

  • Win a set of ten silk orchid centerpieces from Aldik.
  • Win 1,000 assorted froses from Farms To Go.

If these interest you, be sure to log on to BRIDES to enter.  No purchase necessary!   Contest ends on October 15th.  Good luck!

I Want Candy!

Wedding Advice, Wedding Sugar

I have spoken before about my complete “thumbs-upping-ness” for edible favors. Some people don’t agree, but I figure, if you want to waste a couple hundred bucks on things people will leave behind– send it to me! I could always use more lipstick and bronzers! 🙂  You can jazz up your edible favors– like pictured left. Monogrammed candy is becoming a big hit.  From initialed white chocolate to the built in sweet pops from Wedding Graffiti (those monograms are actually made into the candy.  No peeling!), you can do the edible favor with style and class.  If budget is an issue, you can even do personalized M&Ms in your wedding colors in organza bags (step AWAY from the tulle!), clear acrylic gift boxes or labeled tins (I mentioned this in one of my podcasts– if you decide to go with tins buy them wholesale– you try places that sell them for candles, they are uber cheap! Mill Creek is a great option.)