Crowning Inspiration: Long Wedding Tables

I love it when my clients request long wedding table(s). Sometimes we do many long tables and place them perpendicular, and other times we do one long table. I think the long table has a great significance to the idea of 'two families becoming one' at a wedding.

Here are my favorites I pinned on Pinterest - follow me!

Crowning Celebration: The Knot Ohio

When the The Knot called last fall in the midst of one of my craziest, busiest weddings of the year, I was thrilled! They asked three Ohio wedding coordinators to give their "inside scoop" on Ohio weddings.

Be sure to grab your copy today and turn to page 42!

Crowning & Chic - Bridal Bouqet Trend: Broach and Pin bouquets

Last January we featured broach bouquets (click here to see the post). Its a fun alternative, especially in the winter when flowers are not "in season" for northwest Ohio. And unlike flowers, these beauties will last forever!

My favorite broach bouquet is made of buttons, pins and other vintage jewelry pieces that are family heirlooms. For instance, maybe the buttons from your grandmother's gown, or use one of her favorite pins.... Maybe a pair of earrings your mom wore in the 80's! Go creative and add some color or be classic with vintage silver, gold or ivory tones. I just love this silver bouquet below!

image from weddingchicks.com

Crowning & Cunning: Romantic Details

Happy New Year 2012!!! One of this year's top trends is "romantic details". Check out these inspirations! Don't you just love the details?!

Images found on Pinterest

Crowning & Cunning: Wendy Kromer's Cookie Decorating Class

Yesterday, my mom and I were in for a real treat - literally. We took Wendy Kromer's Cookie Decorating class. If you aren't familiar with Wendy, well she is a fabulously talented wedding cake designer, who aside from creating one-of-a-kind masterpieces for my clients, she also designs cakes for Martha Stewart Weddings. In fact, she was just in NYC creating wedding cake stories for the spring Weddings issue the week before our class.

The cookie class was a quick 3-hours that included her fabulous cookie and icing recipes for flooding techniques. I highly recommend this class to anyone of all skill levels. Wendy taught us some clever ways to make eye-popping designs. Check them out:

Wendy demonstrating the techniques:

Here's my try:

I am eager to get started on more cookies here at home! I even bought a crown cookie cutter to make a few CC inspired Christmas creations!

(Be sure to look for that post later this month.)

Thanks Wendy for a fun afternoon!

Crowning Celebration: Thank you for a great season!

Yesterday was our last wedding of the 2011 season ~ and oh, what a season it was! Yesterday's wedding was no exception to the remarkable and genuinely fabulous couples we got to work with this year. I learned new "tricks" and tools to making my business even better, pushed the envelope on some design ideas, created new looks and hopefully some new trends and I made new friends along the way.

One thing that has always remained the same (and continues to hold true next season) is that my work will always be about the QUALITY not the quantity of weddings. Budget big or small, the attention to detail, personalized service and unique design will always come first. For me, the year cannot be measured in the amount of weddings we produced, but rather the quality and tailored service we give our clients.

Thank you to all our 2011 couples and their families ~ Wishing you many happy memories from this fabulous year!!! 

Crowning Celebration: Tent Wedding

Ever wonder what goes into a large tent wedding like this?

Photo Credit Grand Lubell Photography

Look forward to more images from this event with
photography by Grand Lubell ~ coming soon!

Crowning & Fabulous: Bridal Black Friday!

If you are getting married (or think he's about to pop the question) then you'll love these bridal-savvy Black Friday deals!

For the DIY-er, check out craft stores like Hobby Lobby (50% off select items) or Michael’s (30% -50% off select items). {Click on those links for in store coupons!} Stock up on candy bags for your sweet table or ribbons for your ceremony program.

When it comes to the bridesmaid’s dress, brides catch themselves saying it all the time, “you can so wear it again!” This Black Friday think outside the box from your traditional bridal designers and look for dresses at Macy’s (20% off), Nordstrom (33% off evening wear) and other leading department stores for your maids and mothers. Every bridesmaid loves a dress that looks great and is great on the pocketbook. Don’t stop at the dress, also check out shoe sales and accessories like jewelry and purses to complete the look.

Take advantage of holiday sales and purchase gift cards to your salon for your wedding day hair, make-up and manicure. They make great gifts for the mother of the bride/groom, and any wedding attendants. Give them this holiday season or save them for the wedding.

Keeping in the spirit of giving, snag great prices on gifts for your bridal attendants and other key members of your wedding. Restaurant gift certificates are a great way to show appreciation to a religious member who performed your pre-marital counseling or married you.

If he hasn’t popped the question yet, or you are in the beginning stages of planning and not ready to take the Black Friday plunge, you can still be a savvy shopper and stock up on gift cards. Some retailers are offering buy one and get the second 50% off. Save now, buy later.

What’s even better than Black Friday? Small Business Saturday! Shop your local boutiques and stores for the best deals in Northwest Ohio. Photography studios Considering Lilies and JP Photography have Black Friday Specials. {See their great deals below.} Keep the savings coming with Cyber Monday and you can shop online for honeymoon airline and travel deals from great sites like Groupon.com.

Take a tip from Santa: make a list and check it twice. The savviest bride is the one with a game plan. List out items you need or wish to purchase. Too much of a good thing is not a good thing. If you overbuy, you will not only overwhelm yourself, but you could risk breaking the bank and that’s no way to start a marriage.