Its All In The Details: Water Colors

Its All In The Details: Alyssa Aiola

Remember when you were little and you thought you were creating art masterpieces by blending all your watercolor paints together, well now you can be one! One of the biggest wedding trends and themes for Summer 2013 is the use of watercolors throughout your wedding. This theme is not only fun but it also is extremely feminine and romantic if you properly balance out the use of pastel shades with the soft texture of handmade brush stores. This trend is popping up everywhere from invitations, escort cards, backdrops, decor and even cakes. If your husband feels the theme might be to feminine, a great way to balance out the pastels is with a shade of navy blue.  Here are a few of our favorite wedding details sharing the wedding theme of water colors, let us know what you think!

Photo Cred from top left to right: OnceWed.com, Oncewed.com, Stylemepretty, Oncewed.com, Bellabloom floral design, Martha Stewart Wedding Design, Jose Villa Photographym, Artizia, Wedding Paper Divas.

Its All In the Details: Modern and Vintage Themed Weddings!

Its All in the Details: By Alyssa Aiola

This past weekend Private Receptions participated in a bridal trade show on board one of the Horn Blower Cruises where we got to exhibit two beautiful yet different wedding design themes! The event was called The Journey of Love, which was sponsored by Lover.ly and allowed prospecting brides to mix and mingle with the industry’s top vendors. We were given the great opportunity to showcase our work by using 8 different tables and transforming them into a modern design and transitioning the look into a vintage design. The premise of this idea is to show what different themes can be used incorporating the same color palate of navy blue and forest green.  This also allows brides to get a better sense of the type of overall style they are planning for their wedding as well as what we can do as far as accommodating your vision.  With the event being a super success we figured we might as well share with you all of our pictures as well as wedding details that helped bring both the modern prep design and vintage design to life!!

*For this event we used the following vendors to bring our vision to life for both looks: Cakes by Sugar Flower Cake Shop, Paper Goods By Christina Dasaro, Flowers by Quatre Coeur and Table linens by Cloth Connection.

 MODERN DESIGN TABLES:

For our modern design we wanted to create a look that was full of clean lines and sharp edges. The mantra for designing a modern wedding should always remain the same “ Less Is More”.  When having a modern themed wedding it is important to take into consideration the lighting around the space since you want the room to feel more open and less cluttered.

• Flowers: In order to achieve the modern look two flowers automatically came to our mind. In this case we used both Orchids and Succulents across the tables. The beautiful thing about using these flowers is they are more then just florals, they are part of your over all design!
• Paper Goods: This is your chance to individualize your wedding and use the modern theme to your advantage! Using clean lines with geometric shapes you can transform your invitation into a work of art. Take a look at what we did with our escort cards, rsvp cards and invitations!! When it comes to modern design FONT changes everything as well.  A standards modern font we can recommend is Helvetica.
• Cake: When ever any wedding has a specific theme it is important to carry the same idea into the cake. Here we geometric squares along with our color pattern to enhance our theme!

VINTAGE DESIGN TABLE:

The major difference between a modern design to a vintage design is it is much less structured and much more romantic. The idea of a vintage wedding uses any soft color palates from the past like champagne, golds, roses with the use of a bold color like our navy blue or green. You want the over all feel of the room to be warm and elegant.

• Flowers:  For our vintage feel, flower arrangements we used a variety of soft colors roses to keep the romantic feel. A great option you can do to incorporate your theme more is add pearls to the florals!
• Paper Goods: One of my personal favorite parts of our display was our vintage escort card’s, which are so easy to make! We simply spray painted vintage keys and placed them over the escort cards so guests could “unlock” the way to their table. Simple, Easy and DIY!
• Cake: our vintage cake is breathtakingly beautiful and much less structured then our modern design. With a floral frosting design embossing the entire front the vintage feel can be seen from a distance!

We hope you liked both of our vintage and modern designs at this weeks bridal show! Please let us know what you thought of our pictures by writing on our blog, facebook, twitter or instagram!

Manic Monday: Choosing a Photographer

Manic Monday By Alyssa Aiola

You spend months and maybe even over a year planning your wedding and then within 6-8 hours it is all gone with nothing left to remember it by other then your wedding photographs.  We understand that your photographer could be the most important person you are spending your money on since wedding photographs are cherished keepsakes that are passed down through generations. This passed weekend we attended Bridal Rebellion (a bridal workshop full of vendors and industry related business’s)  where The Lovely Lens lent the audience an interesting point of view on photographers by stating ” Their is no such thing as a wedding photographer, their is only good and bad photography.” This statement really had us thinking and is totally true, you either know how to work with light and your camera or you don’t.  In order to find the right photographer to capture all of the you weddings finest moments we have created a list of key questions you should be asking so you avoid any type of stress or worry or even legal matters.

1. Research: Ask your friends, inquire at bridal shops and with the management of the ceremony and reception sites you have chosen. Also browse bridal websites for information and links to photographers that work in your area.(www.weddingwire.com)
2. Style : In order to receive the exact style of photos that you have in mind you must go though a photographers look book and see their work. Are you looking for more of a traditional style with posed pictures or more candid shots throughout the day, or maybe even more lighthearted and playful shots. You have to see the photographers past work to see if they can match your vision.
3. Examine the Photos: When looking through any photographers look books you must keep in mind and examine the basics of the pictures-such as color, clarity, exposure, graininess and composition. Pay attention to the photographer’s ability to capture the emotion of the day. Does it appear that he has the personality to make his subjects comfortable and happy? Or is she the type of photographer that seemingly takes pictures without much passion.
4. Professionalism: On your wedding day it is important that you feel confident in your photographer in knowing they have done this a lot in the past and have a solid background. Not only should you ask how long have they been a photographer but also how many weddings have they shot. Also ask if they have ever had a wedding at your venue, maybe they are firmiliar with the lighting and space.
5. Budget: Photographer fees, prints, albums, etc. generally come to approximately 12% of the entire wedding budget. This will allow you to quickly discard candidates which you cannot afford.
6. Contract: While you want to make sure you book your photographer for the date of your wedding immediately, make sure you read over the legal details of exactly what you will get before signing the contract. Make sure you are signing for the exact package of photos as well as service you discussed. * Make sure the amount of hours they will be at the wedding/ceremony is written in the contract*
7. Equipment: Although you may not be a professional photographer yourself, you should know what type of camera and equipment your photographer will be using during your event. You may find that you are more particular about it than you think.
8. Package: Create  a custom package with your photographer with every detail in writing. Maybe you only want your photographer to be present for 1-3 hours during the reception or you might want a package that  may include a pre-wedding engagement sessions, rehearsal dinner photographs, bridal portraits and newlywed photos.
9. Quantity of Images: This is another aspect that for liability reasons you should get in writing. Some photographers may provide you with under 100 images to remember your wedding day by. Higher-end photographers often capture thousands of images (generally from 1,000 to 3,000) for you to keep forever.

We hope this list helps you find the perfect photographer for your wedding day and look forward to hearing your feedback! Tell us about your wedding photography experience by either replying to this post, writing on our Facebook wall or tweeting us!!

It’s All In The Details: Sweet Favors!

Its All In The Details by Alyssa Aiola

Lets be honest, most brides will spend anywhere from 2-6 dollars per party favor for each guest only for it to be forgotten about, thrown out or lost in clutter. More and more brides are using the idea of an edible favor since its extremely versatile and you know your guests are going to get some use out of it! When choosing your edible treats it is important to keep in mind your overall theme and also the age bracket of your guests attending. Candy bars are a great idea if you know ahead of time you are going to have a lot of kids attending but maybe then you should pass on the candy apple buffet since it could get messy! Also it is important to think about what you want your gifts to look and taste like, as well as what they’ll represent. Any special traditions practiced by your religion, culture, etc. can also be integrated into your favors in some way. Give your guests a bite to remember with these six adorably delish parting gifts:

• Cupcake in a Jar: More and more brides are using this trendy and yet easy idea as favors for their guests! Pick from any flavor of your wildest dreams and get creative with the label! Under The Table and Dreaming  has 50+ recipes on cakes you can put in a jar from S’mores to cheesecake! Guests will be able to bring home a unique gift that looks too good to eat!

• Candy Apple Buffett: This idea for a candy apple buffet is not only delicious, but so fun and interactive for any age. Providing multiple different apple toppings and a customized box, we love Labels For You , guests will be able to take home their wonderful handmade treats as a token from your wedding!

• S’mores Kit: With summer fast approaching, a great idea would be to give your guest the perfect Summer Night BBQ gift of a DIY S’mores kit! Fancy That  has the perfect clear box which you can then customize and fill with graham crackers, marshmallows and chocolate!

• Candy Bar: Create a table with a list of both “his” and “her” favorite candy and allow guests to pick and choose which sweets to toss in their bags. You can also use Chinese take out box’s as containers that can be stamped with your monogram!

• Late Night Snack Bar: After the wedding cake has been passed and the last song has been played your guests might need one last pick me up before driving home. Creating a late night snack bar allows your guests to pick and choose from whatever sweets they are craving along with a box of milk to wash it down.

• Breakfast in a Bag: How thoughtful would it be to give your guests a bag full of bagels, cream cheese, butter and orange juice so they have breakfast all set for the next morning! This is a great gift especially for weddings that run late into the night! To go along with the next morning theme, you could throw in Advil and even a newspaper!

Let us know what sweet treats you gave out on your wedding night or if you ever received a delicious gift as a favor by writing on our Facebook wall or tweeting us!

It’s All in the Details: Coral Crush

It’s All in the Details by Corine Brosseau

Here at Private Receptions, the team is itching for real Spring weather and the sunny hues that come along with it!  Last week, we talked about the ever trendy mint green.  This week, we’re having a crush on coral!  This cheerful shade makes a beautiful color for your Spring or Summer wedding.  Here are some of our favorite bits of coral wedding inspiration and some of our tips on how to incorporate this gorgeous color!

Left to right, across rows: Style Me Pretty, Wedding Bee, The Perfect Palette, Style Me Pretty, Pinterest, Sweet and Saucy Shop, The Art of the Occasion, and The Decorista

• Color Schemes: Coral can look amazing with any number of colors, making it an easy option for your wedding day.  For a preppy, nautical feel, try pairing it with white and navy like in the place setting above (bottom left).  If you’re aiming for upscale and elegant, try mixing coral with gold and blush.  Tones like aqua and mint also mix well with coral for a more springy or rustic look.
• Fashion: Bridesmaids will look gorgeous in shades of coral, which lends itself beautifully to gowns of softly draped chiffon.  For you, try a fun coral shoe or a pretty flower in the hue for your hair.
• Beauty: This color trend can even be incorporated into your makeup look for your wedding day.  There are so many beautiful coral-toned products that can pull together look fabulously.  Mixed with a neutral eye, Bobbi Brown’s Rich Lip Color in Miami Coral is soft and pretty.  It brings a pop of color to the face without being over the top.  More of our favorite coral beauty products include Revlon‘s Super Lustrous Lip Gloss in Coral Reef, Essie‘s Tart Deco nail polish, and Tarte‘s Amazonian Clay Blush in Glisten.
• Flowers: For a coral-toned bouquet, you have so many amazing floral options.  From peonies and roses to gerber daisies and peach calla lilies, any of the above would make a beautiful choice.  Mixing your coral blooms with succulents can be a great way to incorporate some more Spring-inspired hues and allow the coral to really shine.
• Sweet Stuff: For a bright and fun look, go all coral with white details for your cake.  If you’re a bit more traditional, a white fondant cake with coral and peach sugar flowers makes a beautiful statement.  Coral colored cookies and macarons paired with desserts in your other wedding colors create a great ensemble for a dessert table.  For flavors, try fresh, fruity notes like peach and lemon.

These are just a few of the many ways you can incorporate coral into your wedding.  Share your best coral-y ideas with us on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram with the hash tag #coralcrush!

Its All In The Details: Its “Mint” To Be

Its All in the Details: Alyssa Aiola

One of the biggest color trends sweeping across the bridal scene for Spring/Summer 2013 is mint green! The biggest perk of this romantic shade is its versatility and ability to work with all different wedding atmospheres from modern to glamorous to even vintage! It also coordinates perfectly with so many other colors whether they are bold or soft that mint can act either as an accent to all your wedding details or be the dominating color theme. Here are six of our favorite ways to incorporate the shade into your own unique wedding!

1. Wedding Fashion: Lately, mint green has been dominating the red carpet as celebrities give their stamp of approval on this timeless color. Why not join them and either dress yourself or your wedding party in mint?! Designers like Vera Wang and Romona Keveza have contributed most of their bridal collections to colored wedding gowns, including mint. J Crew has designed multiple dresses for your bridesmaids in all different silhouettes and shades of mint green, that when put together are soft on the eyes and yet romantic.
2. Accessories: Stand out on your wedding day by incorporating mint green in your accessories from your shoes to your earrings to even your nail polish!  Margret Elizabeth has created a sea foam fresh collection of earrings perfect for a beachside wedding. To complete your entire head-to-toe look in mint, River Island has created the perfect set of pumps while Essie’s Absolutely Shore will keep your toes looking sweet.
3. Dessert: We have seen some of the most beautiful and yet striking wedding cakes in mint green. You could keep the base of the cake mint green and adorn flowers, ribbons, or a modern design or better yet choose a mint flavored cake! Another great way to make your dessert table stand out is to have mint color cake pops and macaroons!
4. Drinks: A refreshing way to incorporate mint into your wedding theme is by creating mint colored drinks.  One of our favorite recipes is quick and simple, mint green lemonade! You could also use mint colored straws as a tiny detail that will keep your theme alive!
5. Flowers: Let nature be your inspiration and pair your mint green attire with lush florals and seasonal flowers and colors. Your bouquet is where you can add an additional pop of color or allow your wedding theme to come alive as well as in your centerpieces. Add a touch of cream or pink roses for a softer yet romantic look or add sunflowers for a pop of yellow for a more modern approach.
6. Invitations: Inform your guests with a classical invitation embossed in mint green. Adding a signature gold accent upgrades the look of your invite with a luxurious and unique touch.

Let us know some of the great ways you have incorporated this shade into your wedding day or any ideas you have come up with by posting on our Facebook page!

 (Image Courtesy from Left to Right Clockwise) Style Me Pretty, Essie, Pinterst, The Bakers Confections, Fern Lee Photography, Perry Vaile Photograhy,Etsy JWD Paperie, Margret Elizabeth, Style Me Pretty, Romona Keveza, Style Me Pretty, Untamed Heart Photography, Hey There Cupcake

Manic Monday: Compromising

Manic Monday by Alyssa Aiola

One of the most stressful aspects of wedding planning can be when you and your fiancé are on completely separate pages with wedding details and both have different ideas on what the day should be like. After discussing some of the details that you have disagreed on, the next step is learning how to find a balance and a happy medium for the both of you. Maybe you always imagined your wedding in a church while he wants to run to the courthouse or where to even have the wedding his town or yours? The surprising thing is the incredible variety of subjects over which disagreements can arise and how common this actually is. If the decisions are not handled properly it cannot only put a damper on your big day, but also on your marriage. The best way to handle disputes like this is to compromise. As long as you both understand in advance that you wont always see eye to eye on things and you both fight fair, there is no reason why any single dispute or even a long series of disagreements should rock the boat . Here are a few ground rules every couple should set in order to prevent huge blowups on tedious wedding details.

How to Compromise: Before you start overwhelming yourself with who wants what, sit down with your fiancé and start making a list of importance. As far as the ceremony and reception are concerned write down the top 3 things that are important to you. After comparing your lists of importance you will be able to start compromising. If he wants a small wedding but you want a big one, you can always hold a small ceremony with a big after party. Or, if he wants a destination wedding and you want to be home, simply have the ceremony out of town and the reception in your hometown.

World Outside of the Wedding: Now that you are engaged it seems all you can talk about with anyone is wedding details. It is important to set aside time to spend time with your fiancé and remind each other why you are doing this in the first place. Wedding planning can drive couples crazy and you need to learn when to turn the planning on and off so you don’t sabotage your engagement.

Pick One Topic to Fight On: With any type of argument whether it be big or small can have a snowball affect leading into other arguments and disputes. If you start a debate on who wants to have a 5 piece band versus a disk jockey, it is against the rules to turn the discussion into how one person is a tightwad while the other is a spendthrift. It is also not permissible to turn the conversation into how if you didn’t spend all your money on the expensive engraved invitations, you would be able to afford a 5 piece band. Focus on one problem at a time and don’t carry one problem onto the next.

You Both Still Win: Whether your final agreement comes to your groom wearing a rainbow tuxedo or your getting your food catered from the school cafeteria, your both still getting married.  At the end of the day the main goal is just to celebrate two people celebrating a new chapter of life together and regardless of the details that will be accomplished.

It is important to remember that this is the person you are planning on spending the rest of your life with and learning to compromise and communicate now will be a vital task in your relationship. With that in mind take a few deep breaths and learn to give and take, you will be able to find a solution you are both happy with!  Having problems coming to an agreement on your wedding details?! Reply to us and let us know, we will help you see eye to eye!

Its All In The Details: Bridesmaids Gifts!

Its all in the Details by Alyssa Aiola

From start to finish and through thick and thin your bridal party managed to survive the wedding planning process and deserves some appreciation. Whether you have two bridesmaids or twelve, it is important to put some thought into a gift that they will actually enjoy and will use for years to come.  When it comes to actually picking out your presents there are thousands of options and not breaking the bank is extremely easy. In the past most brides gave out the usual key chain or strand of faux pearls but today we are all about the trendy and unique presents. Here are a few of our favorite stylish and personalized bridesmaids gifts that are all under 100 dollars!

Apron:  What a cute way to play up “maids” then to give her an adorable, stylish and feminine apron from the Anthropology Apron Collection ranging from only 32.00-38.00 dollars!

Jewelry: What girl doesn’t love jewelry! From necklaces to bracelets, personalizing is made easy since you can incorporate your bridesmaids first initial. One way you will really brings your bridesmaids to tears is by giving them a personalized Tiffany Notes Disc Charm necklace for only $75.00!

Compacts: If you are trying to go for the more playful present, compacts are extremely practical and fun. Our favorite is Henry Bendels initial compact, which once again allows room for personalization for only $38.00!

Cosmetic Bags: Cosmetic bags are a great way for your entire bridal party to keep their makeup and jewelry together when getting ready for your ceremony.  We love Tory Burch’s Cosmetic Bags that are only between $55-$75 dollars and come in fun vibrant shades that can be tied back to your wedding theme!

Earbuds: Allow your bridesmaids to never miss a beat by buying them a great pair of ear buds. Kate Spade has come up with a trendy and stylish collection of ear buds for only $40.00

Kindle: Give your bridesmaids a gift that they can use anywhere at anytime and is one of the top wanted gadgets of all time! Kindles are now more versatile then ever and start only at $69.00!

Its all in the Details: Something Blue!

Its All in the Details: By Alyssa Aiola

Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue and a Silver Sixpence in her shoe!

Now that you have your something new, old and borrowed all you need to find is your something blue! This old Victorian rhyme has a lot of symbolism to ensure a happy marriage and is today more like a tradition. Originally the “something old” was meant for a happily married women to pass on a garter to the new bride so she would also enjoy a happy marriage.  The “ something new” looks to future health, happiness and success while the “ something borrowed” is an opportunity for the brides family to give her something as a token of their love. The “something blue” is thought to be extremely lucky because blue represents fidelity and consistency. A sixpence used to be placed in the brides shoe to bring the couple wealth in their marriage but today some brides will place a penny in their shoe during the ceremony.

Today brides are getting much more creative then ever to show off “their something blue” . In the past, many brides chose to wear a garter that was blue or used handkerchief with blue in it, but today their are so many more creative options you can use! We have listed some great ideas for you to go way beyond the traditional blue handkerchief and garter to make your something blue stand out!

• Bouquet – You can walk down the aisle holding a beautiful bouquet of blue flowers. Although you can dye just about any flower these days to a custom shade, some flowers that are already blue are cornflowers, delphiniums or hydrangeas.

• Blue Stitching – This is one of the cutest trends so far! Brides have begun stitching sayings inside their dress with blue yarn. One saying we found to be so cute is “ and they lived happily ever after..”

• Shoes – One of the cutest ways to incorporate your something blue into your wedding could be right under your dress. What better way to show off your style and fun side then having a stunning pair of blue shoes to dance the night away in.  Another great idea is to have your bridal party write on the sole of your shoe in blue marker.

• Bridal Combs – Bridal combs are the perfect accent in your hair and can even be used with a veil. Select a bridal comb with either blue rhinestones or blue flowers in it.

• Lingerie – Your something blue can be hidden under your gown for only you and the groom to know about!  Although it will be hidden, it makes the secret a lot more fun! You can choose from a blue bra, underwear or any other type of under garment.

• Nail Polish – Today brides are incorporating the fashion forward trend of nail art and using it in their weddings by painting their nails the perfect shade of blue. You can either have the entire nail polished blue or have a blue accent design. You can also use this trend on your toes!

• Jewelry – What better way to glisten on your wedding day then to be shining from a blue necklace, earing set or brooch.  You can pin the brooch to your wedding dress, a cape, a shawl or even to the bottom of your bouquet.

(Images from top left clockwise)

Fleur Envy Couture Etsy, Off Beat Productions, Modern Weddings, Tied Up Memories Etsy, Kaboodle, Bridal Party on Etsy, Calli B Photography, Sylvie Collection Earrings, Wed Book Nails, Christian Louboutin, Modern Weddings.

With so many different shades of blue there are really unlimited ways to incorporate it into your wedding day. Whether you want your “something blue” to stand out on the big day orleave guests wondering where it is hidden, you have plenty of options. Let us know where you kept your something blue on your wedding day!